County Durham Independent Advocacy service
c/o28 Albert EmbankmentLondon SE1 7GR View on map
Mon - Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pmSat and Sun: Closed
In County Durham we provide only one type of advocacy:
Independent Specialist Mental Health Advocacy
- It is to help people communicate, understand options and be involved in their situation.
- It is for people who have a mental illness (with or without a formal diagnosis), and/or are using mental health services or trying to access mental health services
- The role is to help people communicate with mental health services only. This can be all aspects of mental health services from primary care at their GP, secondary care from community mental health teams and voluntary patients on mental health wards.
- Examples include those trying to seek a formal diagnosis, those seeking changes to medication or treatments, complaints about their mental health care and accessing appropriate alternative therapies and treatments.
Eligibility
- Over 18
- GP in Co Durham
- Have mental illness/consider themselves to or accessing mental health services
- Issue is about mental health services
What advocates can and can't do
An advocate can stand by you, and stand up for you, when important decisions are being made about your care, treatment and the way you live your life. They can help you understand your rights and options, and then support you in expressing your views and wishes to the relevant services. They can also speak up on your behalf if that’s what you want. People often work with an advocate when they’re going through some kind of assessment or review of their care or treatment.
What an advocate can help with
Get information and understand what it means
Explore your options and decide what you want
Contacting people, or contacting them for you
Express your feelings to others, or do this for you
Prepare for meetings, and support you at them
Stand up for your rights to get the services you need.
What an advocate can't do
Provide advice or emotional support
Make decisions for you without your input
Solve someone’s problems for them
Mediation
Provide care or home support
Agree with everything a person says.