Advocacy

Advocacy can support you to:

• make your opinions, views and concerns known
• find out about your rights and options
• make your own choices
• be involved in the decision-making process
• take part in important formal meetings

An advocate is someone who gives advocacy support to people. They are independent of social services and the NHS, and they are not a family member or a close friend. This service is free to you.

An advocate can help you to make decisions about your heath and care support if you are:

• older
• have physical or learning disabilities
• have mental health needs
• have an illness or disability

Our provider of advocacy in Southend is South Essex Advocacy Services (SEAS).SEAS is an independent advocacy service that supports adults by empowering them to make informed choices, challenging barriers to access appropriate services and to ensure that the person is included and central to decisions about their health, care and wellbeing.

SEAS can help with:

• benefit assessment and help with completing forms
• advice and information, free and impartial
• financial abuse
• appeals and tribunals
• statutory advocacy, which includes:
  • Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCA)
  • Care Act advocates
  • Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHA)
  • Paid Representatives (RPR)

For information relating to the types of the above statutory advocacy, visit the Hub website.