Your Ref:
Our Ref: FOI/427436 /
Ms Michelle Daly
Email: / 22 December 2015
Dear Ms Daly
Freedom of Information Act Request 427436
Thank you for your recent request received 10 December. Your request was actioned under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in which you requested the following:
1. How many Agency and permanent Social Workers were working in Liverpool City Council's Adult Services in 2014 and 2015?
2. How many people with learning difficulties have been referred to have an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) in 2014 and 2015?
3. What is the individual cost of a referral and assessment for an IMCA?
4. On completion of the assessment is the IMCA paid an annual fee and if not can you please tell me what the financial arrangement is between the IMCA and Liverpool City Council?
Response:
Liverpool City Council holds the information requested and can confirm the following:
1.
Social Workers (FTE)Agency / permanent
Mar-15 / 67.90 / 150.61
Nov-15 / 65.40 / 135.00
2. In 2014 there were 53 people with learning disabilities who received IMCA advocacy support. In the first 3 quarters of 2015 we have had 40 people with LD who have received IMCA advocacy support.
3. There is a block contract so there is no individual cost. We see the IMCA’s role is to provide advocacy to ensure that vulnerable people have some control over their lives. It is a way to make sure that a person’s voice is heard when decisions are made. It involves looking at choices, enabling people to know their rights, helping to defend those rights and getting the person’s voice heard
4. Liverpool City Council and Sefton Metropolitan Council have a jointly commissioned the IMCA service. The contract was due to be re commissioned in April 2015 and with the introduction of the Care Act we followed the best practice guidance from the DH and included the new statutory Care Act Advocacy service in a joint IMCA and Care Act Advocacy service. This contract was awarded following an open tender process and is paid on a block contract basis.
This concludes our response
The City Council will consider appeals, referrals or complaints in respect of your response and these must be submitted these in writing to within 28 days of receiving your response.
The matter will be dealt with by an officer who was not previously involved with the response and we will look to provide a response within 28 working days.
If you remain dissatisfied you may also apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about whether the request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The Information Commissioner’s website iswww.ico.gov.uk and the postal address and telephone numbers are:-
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House
Water Lane, Wilmslow CheshireSK9 5AF
Telephone 01625 545745 Fax number 01625 524 510
Email – (they advise that their email is not secure)
ÿYours sincerely
Mr Kevin Symm
Senior Information Officer
Information Team Municipal Buildings Dale Street Liverpool L2 2DH
Telephone 0151 233 0418 Email