Advocacy Information & Advice—Advocacy
Advocacy is about having a voice in the kind of service you receive. It is about getting the right information and support to be able to make choices about your treatment. It is about being listened to and taking control of your situation.
All Advocacy is about empowerment. It is about people speaking up for themselves and their rights, making their views heard and gaining control over their lives.
There are two kinds of Advocacy for users of mental health services in locally, both provided by the Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service (CIAS) (see below):
- Group Advocacy: where users of mental health services and social services come together in groups to discuss the services to say what is good and not so good about them. These comments will be passed on to service managers so that the services can be improved. Group Advocacy is a way of involving people more effectively in the services they receive and giving them the power to change things where necessary.
- Formal Advocacy: a form of independent one to one advocacy that aims to protect an individual's right through providing information, assistance and representation. Individuals using mental health services either in the hospital or the community can get the support of an advocate to enable them and support them in trying to obtain the services they want and assert their rights. The advocate deals with a broad range of issues, mental health rights, appeals and tribunals, present and future care and treatment, medication, access to medical records, housing rights, financial difficulties, welfare benefits, contacting solicitors and assistance with forms and letters. Advocates are either paid workers or trained volunteers. A mental health advocate is independent of the mental health system and will represent a service user's interests if requested. Those interests are defined by the service user.
There are several things you can do if you have a complaint against a Mental Health Service or Health Professional. The main services have their own complaints procedures.
If you have a complaint about services provided by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust you may firstly want to discuss it with the Charge Nurse or service manager. If you would like information about making a complaint about NHS services you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service in any NHS Trust. For independent help and advice to make a complaint you could contact The Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service, the Community Health Council or Citizens Advice Bureau (telephone numbers are listed in this section).
To make a formal complaint to the Trust contact:
The Complaints Co-ordinator
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Kingfisher House
Kingfisher Way
Hinchingbrooke Business Park
Huntingdon
PE29 6FH
Tel: 01480 398631
You do not need to do these things in order; follow whichever procedure you feel most comfortable with. Patients who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 can complain to the Mental Health Act Commissioners, Tel: 0115 9437100.
All family practitioners (GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians) must investigate patient complaints according to the NHS complaints procedure. If you have a complaint you can approach the practice directly or contact the Customer Services at the Health Authority for impartial advice and information.
Social Services Complaints and Representation Procedure
If you have a complaint/suggestion/comment about the Social Services Department, you should contact the person who actually provides the service (you can find out who that is from the Freephone Charterline 0800 243916). If you are not satisfied you can write to the manager of the service concerned or send your complaint to:
Complaints Manager
Communications & Customer Relations Manager
Castle Court
Shire Hall
Cambridge
CB3 0AP
Tel: 01223 717182
You may also write to:
Director of Social Services
Castle Court
Shire Hall
Cambridge
CB3 0AP
Chief Executive
Cambridgeshire County Council
Shire Hall
Cambridge
CB3 0AP
If you write to them they will respond within ten working days. If you are still not satisfied after they have replied, you have the right to proceed to the next stage to make your complaint formal. You can write to the Complaints Manager (address and telephone number above) telling her why you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint and what you would like them to investigate. If you are not satisfied following this (the investigation stage) you can proceed to stage three which is an independent review of your complaint. If you are still unhappy you can contact the local Government Ombudsman:
Mr.Jerry White
Local Government Ombudsman
The Oaks
2 Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8JB
Tel: 024 7669 5999
The ombudsman will not usually consider your complaint until you have used all three stages of the Social Services Complaints Procedure. If you have an enquiry about the Local Government Ombudsman’s service you can telephone their Advice line on 0845 602 1983.
PALS Complaints Service
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Elizabeth House
Fulbourn Hospital
Fulbourn
Cambridge CB21 5EF.
Tel: (free phone): 0800 3760775
Email: pals@cambsmh.nhs.uk
A confidential voicemail service is available if a member of the PALS team is unable to take your call immediately.
When you use mental healthservices or care for someone who does, you may sometimes need help, information or support. PALS is a confidential Trust service that listens to your concerns and queries and helps sort out problems quickly on your behalf. They can also give you information about mental health services and the NHS, including how to make a complaint and where to get support to do this. If you would like to talk to someone from the PALS team, please contact them as above or write to the Patient Experience Manager at Elizabeth House.
PatientExperience Tracker
The Trust is planning to introduceelectronic feedback handsetsso that service users and carers can share their views about their experiences of services as they happen. Thehandsets will initially be introduced in twenty sites across the Trust.
POhWER ICAS (Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk)
Unit 26A, E Space North
181 Wisbech Road
Littleport
Ely CB6 1RA
Helpline: 0845 456 1084
Email: pohwericas@pohwericas.net
Wesite:: www.pohwer.net
ICAS stands for Independent Complaints Advocacy Service. They can help you to make a complaint against the NHS
Complaints about GPs, Dentists, Pharmacists and Opticians
All family practitioners (GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians) must investigate patient complaints according to the NHS complaints procedures. If you have a complaint, you can approach the practice directly or you can contact the Customer Services Department for impartial advice and information.
Customer Services/ Complaints Manager
Anglia Support Partnership
18 Vinery Road
Cambridge CB1 3DX
Telephone/Fax: 01223 477760
Email: karina.plough@asp.nhs.uk
Web: www.cambridgeshire.nhs.uk
The Customer Services Department can also provide a trained mediator to help you resolve the complaint if you or the practitioner feel that this would help. The Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service can help you make your complaint.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
This Act gives disabled people (including people with mental health problems) new rights in the areas of employment, buying goods and services and buying or renting property. It also enables the Government to set minimum standards for accessible transport (for example, ensuring that all licensed taxis are accessible) and requires schools, colleges and education authorities to provide information about facilities for disabled students.
The Act falls short of the full civil rights legislation for disabled people that campaigning groups have called for, but does go some way towards tackling discrimination. The Disability Rights Commission will help people gain redress if they believe they have been discriminated against. For information on this contact the Disability Rights Commission Contact Centre, Telephone: 08457 622633.
It is against the law for employers of more than 15 people to discriminate against a person because of their disability. Service providers such as shops and restaurants must offer equal treatment to all, as must people selling or letting property.
Local Contacts
Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service
Old School Buildings
Dartford Road
March
PE15 8AN
Tel: 01354 652445
Email: enquiries@cias.org.uk
A free advocacy service that supports adults (18-65 yrs) with mental health problems and/or concerns relating to mental health to enable them to:
- express their views and concerns
- access information and services
- defend and promote their rights and responsibilities
- explore choices and options
- and influence the provision of mental health services both as individuals and as a group
The key aim is to enable individual and collective voices of people with mental health needs and/or concerns relating to mental health to be heard. As well as communication by phone or letter, advocates are flexible to the needs of clients, and can visit them in hospital (ward rounds, care reviews, tribunals) and at home.
The service is contactable by phone/letter or email. Alternatively clients can call in at the above address and arrange an appointment. Office hours are 9am- 4pm, Monday to Friday, although appointments can be made outside of these hours on request and where possible. There is limited disabled access, however advocates are able to see clients at alternative locations.
Essex Coalition of Disabled People
Cambs DPSS
Ivan Peck House
1 Russell Way
Widford Industrial Estate
Chelmsford
CM1 3AA
Tel: 01245 392328
Email: cambsdpss@ecdp.org.uk
Website: www.ecdp.org.uk
They are an advocacy, training and direct payment consultancy and provider. Contact can be made by contacting ECDP and/or Cambs DPSS as shown above. ECDP are contracted in Cambridgeshire to provide Direct Payment Support Services for people who wish to use Direct Payments and are elibible to do so. They have a team of three independent Living Advisors who assist in the provision of support services.
West Norfolk Mental Health Advocacy Service
St. James
Extons Road
Kings Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 5NU
Tel: 01553 816269 (answerphone outside normal office hours)
Email: David.Litson@westnorfolk-pct.nhs.uk
This Advocacy Service is available to all people living in West Norfolk and Wisbech area aged 16 - 65 who have problems with their mental health.
Wisbech Self-Advocacy Group
(for people with physical and learning disabilities)
The Oasis Centre
Tinkers Drove
St. Michael Avenue
Wisbech
Cambs
PE13 3NR
Tel: 01945 461175
Email: Tony.Rowe@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
They meet alternative Tuesdays at the centre from 9.30am - 11.30am. Their aim is to help people to be in control of their lives and to build confidence, while educating society's misconceptions about disabilities.
National Contacts
United Kingdom Advocacy Network (UKAN)
14-18 West Bar Green
Sheffield
S1 2DA
Tel/fax: 0114 272 8171
Email: office@u-kan.co.uk
Website: www.u-kan.co.uk
This is service-user-run network of advocacy groups in the UK. It provides information and support for local groups and campaigns for improvements to mental health services. They also support Patients Councils and User Forums.
