Impact will cease to provide Advocacy services in West Sussex from 30th September. We were saddened and shocked on 30th June to hear that our contract with WSCC would not be further extended. We had been in discussion since April on how we could make savings within the service as we were told WSCC needed to make savings in their current contracts but from these discussions did not expect a total cut.
We are the only organisation providing the Issue Based and Community Advocacy and support to 6 Self Advocacy groups across the county and currently work with 400+ people with learning disabilities, physical or sensory impairments or Autism each year. We are supporting our service users and staff through this incredibly difficult time as they are understandably devastated, particularly that there was no consultation prior to the decision being made by WSCC.
WSCC told us last week that they will now provide some support to the Self Advocacy groups from their existing staff and volunteers in the short term until they can integrate the support into a revised in-house service.
Statutory Advocacy services delivered by Pohwer will remain, these are:
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy service (IMCA)
- Relevant Person’s Paid Representative Services (RPPR)
- Independent Care Act Advocacy
A petition to try and reverse this decision has been set up by service users which is here. https://rb.gy/t4zmi
