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Supporting People Who Need Advocacy (England) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy aims to help people receiving our care in line with their legal rights to express their views to both {{org_field_name}} and to other bodies, and to feel that their views are understood and respected by using the help of an advocate or advocacy service, where this is considered appropriate and needed.

{{org_field_name}} is based on person-centred values and principles, which emphasise that its users should express their views as clearly and candidly as they wish to get the kind and quality of service they expect. The service also recognises that some people receiving care might not communicate their feelings and views easily We then encourage and enable them to have access to advocates or an advocacy service, where this is appropriate, which will help them to express to us, their care service, their wishes and ideas about the services they need or any concerns and complaints.

Legislation and Guidance

{{org_field_name}}’s approach to advocacy is consistent with the relevant statutory requirements and guidance relating to the following.

The policy follows the NICE guideline NG 227: Advocacy Services for Adults with Health and Social Care Needs (November 2022).

Defining Advocacy

As a care provider, we accept and work to the following definition of advocacy developed by Action for Advocacy (revised 2014) and which is reflected in NICE guidance (2022):

“Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain service they need. Advocates and advocacy schemes work in partnership with the people they support and take their side. Advocacy promotes social inclusion, equality and social justice.”

{{org_field_name}} recognises that advocacy is needed under different circumstances and can take several forms. We will always attempt to find the right kind of service for any individual needing or requesting it. It recognises the value of self-advocacy, peer advocacy and the informal advocacy that can be provided by a person’s relatives and friends, as well as the input of trained advocates from formal advocacy services.

Purposes of Advocacy

{{org_field_name}} recognises that advocacy serves the following purposes.

Advocacy:

When Advocacy Might Be Needed

As stated in NICE guidance, {{org_field_name}} recognises that a person might need the representation provided by a personal advocate or advocacy service at different times in their involvement with a local authority and as a user of a care service, eg:

As a care provider, therefore, we are:

What the Service Requires from an Advocacy Provider

We endorse the Advocacy Charter promoted by Action on Advocacy and reflected in NICE guidance (2022), which lists 10 essential qualities that we would expect to be present in all advocacy services, which the people receiving our care might use, as follows.

  1. Independence. Advocates should be independent from statutory and other service providing agencies.
  2. Empowerment. People using advocacy should be able to participate in the running of the scheme.
  3. Accountability. Every advocacy scheme should monitor and evaluate its work effectively.
  4. Support for advocates. Advocates must be appropriately prepared, trained and supported.
  5. Complaints. Advocacy schemes must have policies for dealing with complaints.
  6. Clarity of purpose. Advocacy schemes must have clear objectives and must make these known.
  7. Putting people first. Advocates must be non-judgmental and respectful of person receiving cares’ needs, views and experiences.
  8. Equal opportunities. Advocacy schemes must have and observe a written equal opportunities policy.
  9. Accessibility. Advocacy must be provided free of charge and in ways which make it widely accessible.
  10. Confidentiality. Advocacy schemes must have a policy on confidentiality, which includes the circumstances under which confidentiality might be breached.

Supporting Access to Advocacy

We will seek to make advocacy available to any person receiving care who needs help in presenting their views by:

Local Advocacy Services Contact Details

[Use this to include details of local advocacy services/organisations.]

Training

Staff are provided with training on the use of advocacy at all suitable stages of their employment from induction onwards.


Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}

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