What could an advocate
do for you?
When you have a problem or concern, we can give you the
choices which are open to you. We can tell you what the
possible outcomes of each of those choices will be. We can
then support you as little or as much as you wish in achieving
that outcome.
We can provide you with information on mental health issues,
for example about your rights under the Mental Health Act
and other laws. It may be that this is all you need from
us, and you will go and speak to your doctor or other worker,
knowing that the advocate is there should you need to speak
to them again.
Having talked things through with you, we can draft letters
for you and accompany you to meetings about your care and
treatment, for instance at ward rounds, mental health assessments
and Care Programme Approach meetings.
If you wish, we can take a more active part at meetings,
for example by asking questions of workers if things seem
unclear or by prompting you if something you wanted to say
has slipped your mind.
You can also ask the advocate to actually speak for you,
after you have decided what you want said. Some people find
this helpful if they feel intimidated by big meetings, or
if they do not feel up to talking that day.
The focus of our work is on mental health issues - we keep
a stock of information about local services, so if you need
help with other issues we should be able to refer you to
the right place.
Click here to view the Code
of Practice which sets out the standards people
who use the service can expect from the advocates and includes
a general statement around the rights of advocates.
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