Advocacy services ensure that individuals who need support to express their views, access services, and secure their rights receive independent representation. The council has a legal duty to provide advocacy under key legislation, including:
- The Care Act 2014
- The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards – DoLS and Relevant Person’s Paid Representatives – RPPRs)
- The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007)
- The Health and Social Care Act 2012.
The council commissions two statutory advocacy services to provide advocacy to fulfil its duties:
- POhWER - is an integrated statutory advocacy service covering Northeast London. This service supports residents in Tower Hamlets, including those placed outside the borough. Additionally, residents living outside Northeast London (England, Scotland, or Wales) have access to advocacy support to ensure continuity of care.
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) service – is commissioned in partnership with NHS Northeast London ICB, alongside a non-statutory Mental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS). This service, delivered by Mind in Tower Hamlets, Newham, and Redbridge, supports informal patients in mental health wards and adults in contact with mental health services.
Our priorities
- Provide high-quality, person-centred advocacy that protects residents’ rights and independence.
- Support individuals to feel more in control of their mental health and wellbeing.
- Ensure flexibility and responsiveness, including out-of-borough placements.
- Offer advocacy in multiple community languages to meet diverse needs.
- Speed up access to advocacy, ensuring timely support and allocations.
- Improve service user satisfaction and demonstrate the impact of advocacy.
- Strengthen safeguarding practices, including regular contact for DoLS cases and care review requests.
- Collaborate to ensure efficient service delivery and ongoing improvements.
Market opportunities
The PohWER statutory advocacy service will be re-procured in winter 2025, with a new contract starting on 1 July 2026. Moving forward, we will continue using a combination of block and spot purchasing to ensure flexibility and cost-effectiveness.