POhWER - Advocacy Services

Information, advice, support and advocacy for disabled people or those who experience distress and social exclusion.

Support includes

• Independent Health Complaints Advocacy to help you make your complaint to the NHS
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy - to help you understand your rights and make decisions about your care and treatment if you have been detained under the Mental Health Act
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) - an advocate who supports people who are not able to make certain decisions for themselves and do not have family or friends who are able to speak for them. An IMCA can be instructed to support with Serious Medical Treatment, Change of Accommodation, Safeguarding and Care Reviews. 
• Relevant Person's Paid Representative - a representative for people who are deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act but don't have a family member or a friend to act as a representative 
• Independent Care Act Advocacy - an advocate who will help you be as involved as possible in decisions about your care if you don't have someone to help you. Your advocate will work with you to help you understand what is happening; they can speak for you if you can’t. 

Contact the Help Hub
The Help Hub provides support to service users and professionals and is a gateway to POhWER’s information, advice and advocacy services. 

Advisors can help point you in the right direction by providing information and contact details for organisations you may need to speak with or they make a referral to POhWER’s specialist advocacy services.