Advocacy is free, independent support to involve you in decisions about your health, care and wellbeing.

An advocate is an independent professional who is on your side. They can support you to have your say and know your rights.

Advocates don’t work for the council, the NHS, or care providers. When you work with an advocate, they will keep things confidential. You don’t need to pay for an advocate.

What do advocates do?

An advocate will:

  • listen to what you think about what’s happening to you
  • help you say what you want and don’t want
  • help you understand information about your situation
  • explain your options
  • plan with you about what to do next

An advocate will not

  • offer counselling or befriending
  • offer legal advice
  • make decisions for you
  • tell you what to do

If at any point you need support that your advocate cannot offer, they can help you find out if there is someone who can. You can ask to stop advocacy support at any time.

Types of Advocacy

There are different types of advocacy, each with different eligibility criteria. Statutory advocacy types are available everywhere, but other types of advocacy are unique to a particular local area.

Statutory advocacy types

The law says that some types of advocacy must always be provided for eligible people, no matter where you live. We call these ​‘statutory’ advocacy types. Even if we do not provide them in your area, there will be another advocacy organisation that does.

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)

Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHAs) support people with issues relating to their mental health care and treatment. They also help people understand their rights under the Mental Health Act.
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Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)

Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) support people when they are assessed to lack capacity to make a best interest decision and they do not have family or friends appropriate to consult about the decision.
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Relevant Person’s Representative

There is legislation to protect people who might be restrained or restricted in a way that amounts to depriving them of their liberty. It is called ​‘Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards’ (DoLS). It aims to make sure that people are only deprived of their liberty when it is in their best interests. When someone is or may be deprived of their liberty, the law calls them the ​‘Relevant Person’.
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Care Act advocacy

Care Act advocates support people to understand their rights under the Care Act and to be fully involved in a local authority assessment, care review, care and support planning or safeguarding process.
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NHS complaints advocacy

NHS complaints advocates support people to complain about the treatment or care that they or a friend or family member have received from an NHS service. This support is available at every stage of the complaints process.
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Speak Out Council

A voice for people in Cambridgeshire who are autistic or who have a learning disability.
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How to contact Total Voice

Referral Helpline0300 303 1660Emailhelpline@voiceability.org
Websitewww.voiceability.org/
AddressVoiceAbility
The Old Granary
Westwick
Cambridgeshire, CB24 3AR

A range of other advocacy services may be available for people to use outside the local authority funded scheme.