How advocacy can help you

About Advocacy

An advocate can help you tell people what you need and want. They can support you to make choices about the things that effect you, and help you take control of your life.

Advocacy services can help you:

• during meetings and appointments
• express what you think and what you want
• get information and services
• challenge a decision about you or make a complaint
• understand your options and rights
• write letters

Advocates don’t work for Adult Social Care or health services, and they won’t give their personal opinion. They're there to put across your wishes and decisions.

Where to get help

The Sussex Advocacy Partnership provides local advocacy. The partnership consists of:

• POhWER - for everyone in Brighton and Hove
• Mind in Brighton & Hove – for adults (including older people) with mental health issues
• Mind out - for LGBTQ people
• Speak Out - for adults with learning disabilities
• Impact Advocacy - for people with sensory, communication, cognitive or physical impairment and people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome
• Sussex Interpreting Services - for people whose first language isn't English

To get support you can either contact these services directly, send an email to pohwer@pohwer.net or phone 0300 456 2370.

The Partnership can also help when you:

• can’t make decisions for yourself, which is known as lacking mental capacity
• need help to make decisions about your care and support
• need help to make a complaint about the NHS 
• are in hospital under the Mental Health Act