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The role of an advocate in health and social care is to support a vulnerable or disadvantaged person and ensure that their rights are being upheld in a healthcare context. This may include individuals who are physically disabled or wheelchair-bound, or those with age-associated degenerative diseases such as dementia.
What is independent advocate?
Independent advocacy is about speaking up for, and standing alongside individuals or groups, and not being influenced by the views of others. Independent advocacy is especially important when individuals or groups are not heard, are vulnerable or are discriminated against.
What is the purpose of an independent advocate?
The role of an independent advocate is to support and represent the person and to facilitate their involvement in the key processes and interactions with the local authority and other organisations as required.
What is the independent advocacy role under the CARE Act 2014?
The Care Act 2014, introduced a new statutory Independent Advocate role to facilitate a person’s involvement in relevant social care functions being undertaken by a local authority.
How do I access independent advocacy?
Advocacy services are available across the country and contacting your local council is the best place to start your search. If you have a Care Coordinator from your local social services, healthcare or homecare team, they will be able to help you seek independent advocacy.
Who is responsible for assigning an advocate?
It is the responsibility of the Local Authority to decide which advocacy support is most appropriate in each situation. In doing so, it must make sure that statutory duties are fulfilled in relation to any specialist advocacy support a person may be entitled to receive under any legislation that affects them.
How do I get a Care Act advocate?
Call us on 0300 456 2370(charged at your standard network rate)
- Our Services.
- Care Act Advocacy.
Why do we need an independent advocacy service?
Advocacy services help people – especially the most vulnerable – to be involved in the decisions that affect their lives. The health and care system can seem complex and confusing and saying what you want can be stressful, especially if you need on-going support from the services involved.
What is the independence of the advocacy scheme?
Independence fThe advocacy scheme will be structurally independent from statutory organisations and preferably from all service provider agencies. The advocacy scheme will be as free from conflict of interest as possible both in design and operation, and actively seek to reduce conflicting interests.
When do you need an independent health advocate?
An independent advocate may be helpful if there is any disagreement between you, your health or social care professionals or even family members about a decision that needs to be made. An independent advocate should represent your wishes without judging or giving a personal opinion.
When does a local authority need an independent advocate?
Where appropriate, the local authority must arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support an adult who is the subject of a safeguarding enquiry or Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) where the adult has ‘substantial difficulty’ in being involved in the process and where there is no other suitable person to represent and support them.