Advocacy - support available to get your voice heard
Last updated on 3 Jun 2013
Do I need an Advocate?
- Do you want things in your life to change?
- Do you feel that you are not being listened to?
- Do you feel like you are on your own?
- Do you need help to speak up for yourself?
Advocacy Centre North can help you
Helps you to understand your rights
What can an Advocate help with?
Making complaints
Advocacy Centre North provides different types of advocacy including;
The Older People's Advocacy Project supports people over the age of 65 (a limited service is available for people of 55-64 years) to be aware of their rights and available choices, to make their voices heard, and to make informed decisions about their lives.
The Citizen Advocacy Scheme offers long term one to one advocacy support for vulnerable adults in the city. This includes people with a learning or physical disability, older people and people with mental health problems.
An Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) can support someone who is subject to the Mental Health Act, (This may also be known as detained or 'sectioned' under the Act). Advocacy support may also be given to people on supervised community treatment or on guardianship orders, or if their treatment is subject to certain special rules.
The Advocacy Centre North can provide an IMHA who can provide support to
- help patients understand information they are given by people involved in their care/treatment
- help them to talk to the people involved in their care/treatment
- access information about how the Mental Health Act applies to patient
Other services provided by Advocacy Centre North
- Citizen Advocacy- longer term advocacy for older people and people with disabilities
- Case Advocacy - for people with mental health needs
- BME Case Advocacy - for people from Black & Minority Ethnic communities, around Health & Social Care issues
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) - A statutory service for people subject to the Mental Health Act, around their care and treatment
- Older People’s Advocacy - for residents of Newcastle aged over 65 years. A limited service is available for people of 55-64 years