Advocacy Services for Health and Social Care
Framework Description
NHS North of England (NOE CPC) runs this framework for independent advocacy in health and social care, reference NOE.0627. It was awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 and runs for four years, from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2028. Five lots cover social care advocacy, IMCAs, IMHAs, advocacy in secure settings, and advocacy for children and young people.
Context & Use Case
Local authorities, NHS trusts and integrated care boards have statutory duties to provide advocacy under the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act. They use this framework to commission those services from pre-qualified providers, by direct award or further competition under the Provider Selection Regime, after signing a Customer Access Agreement with NOE CPC.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Independent Advocates for Social Care Service Users Lot 2: Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) Lot 3: Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHAs) Lot 4: Advocacy for Adult Secure Services, including prisons and secure hospitals Lot 5: Advocacy for Children and Young People
Lots
Lot 1 - Independent Advocates for Social Care Service Users; Lot 2 - Independent Mental Capacity Advocates; Lot 3 - Independent Mental Health Advocates; Lot 4 - Advocacy for Adult Secure Services; Lot 5 - Advocacy for Children and Young People
Who Can Apply
Suits charities, social enterprises and specialist advocacy organisations with statutory advocacy experience, qualified IMCA and IMHA staff, strong safeguarding and inclusive practice. Applications for this framework are closed, so providers not already on it cannot join now. Plan for the re-tender around 31 October 2028.
Buyer Benefits
Commissioners must provide statutory advocacy and cannot afford gaps in service. Pre-qualified providers and Provider Selection Regime call-off routes cut the time to award, while five separate lots let a council commission IMHA, IMCA or children's advocacy without bundling them together. Common standards help keep quality and safeguarding consistent.
Next Steps
Providers on the framework should prepare for direct awards and further competitions with outcome data, advocate qualifications and safeguarding records. Others should ask NOE CPC whether any reopening is planned, register interest, and build evidence of Care Act, IMCA and IMHA delivery ready for the re-tender before 31 October 2028.
How Athena Can Help
Advocacy contracts are decided on quality, safeguarding and outcomes as much as price. Athena's bid writers for care services build responses around those themes, and our support with care commissioning bids takes you from first approach to award, including your social value offer.
Advocacy organisations aiming for the 2028 re-tender can use our health and care framework pipeline to prepare policies, case studies and certificates well ahead of the deadline, so the bid focuses on quality rather than paperwork.
