SCIE Guide 31: Good practice guidance for the commissioning and monitoring of Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) services

Published October 2009

About this guidance

This good practice guidance has been produced by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to support the commissioning of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service. It was developed through consultation with a range of stakeholders including commissioners, local authority and health authority Mental Capacity Act leads and IMCA providers.

The guidance is supported by SCIE's Mental Capacity Act advisory group. Membership of the advisory group includes representatives of the Department of Health (DH), the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), Action for Advocacy (A4A), the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

This good practice guidance contains:

• issues to consider when reviewing IMCA contracts
• a revised example service specification
• suggestions for assessing quality
• an example engagement protocol
• suggested tender requirements.

For more information about this guidance or SCIE’s work supporting the IMCA service please contact David Thompson, Practice Development Manager, IMCA: david.thompson@scie.org.uk, tel: 020 7089 6864.