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Advocacy

There are many different types of advocacy and from the links below you will be able to find just what you are looking for.

What is Advocacy and why do I need it

An Advocate is someone that speaks up on your behalf so that you are able to get the help you need and all that you are entitled to.
Advocates that specialise in certain areas can also speed up the process, as they know about current legislation and the best approach to take.

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Advocacy Providers

Independent Mental Health Advocacy(IMHA)
This service is provided by MIND.

From April 2009, the amendments to the Mental Health Act 2007 come into force. These amendments require the provision of Independent Mental Health Advocates (IMHA's)

IMHA services provide an additional safeguard for patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act, and are specialist advocates who are trained to work within the framework of the Act. These services will not replace other advocacy services currently available to patients, but are intended to operate in conjunction with them.

The IMHA Service is to support  people with mental health issues in relation to advocacy. An advocate can help you to access information about your rights, they can give a voice your thoughts and opinions on your behalf and ensure you are being heard as you should.  This service also offers support to people in Urdu and Punjabi.  For advice on advocacy, contact Gemma Wynne-Jones at MIND in Oldham.
View Leaflet  

The service also aims to support people from all the communities in the borough of Oldham by ensuring advocacy is accessible to anyone from the minority communities.  For more information, speak with Uzma Alam. at MIND in Oldham
Read this leaflet for more information about The IMHA Service.
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Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)
This Service is provided by Advocacy Experience

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 makes provisions for an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) Service; this service provides an independent safeguard to support particular vulnerable people who lack capacity to make important decisions who have no-one to appropriately consult regarding certain decisions. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 places an obligation on Local Authorities and / or NHS bodies to instruct and consult an IMCA when making decisions for a person who lacks capacity regarding the following areas:

• Serious Medical Treatment (Section 37)
• The Local Authority is proposing to arrange accommodation for someone for longer than 8 weeks (Section 38)
• The NHS body is proposing to arrange accommodation for someone for longer than 28 days (Section 39)

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 gives powers to Local Authorities to extend the functions of an IMCA service and may instruct an IMCA in cases of:

• Care Reviews, and
• Adult Protection Cases, (the criteria of friends and family does not apply in Adult Protection Cases)

  For more information

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Oldham Personal Advocacy Ltd
OPAL is an independent registered local charity that runs an Advocacy Service supporting people who have learning disabilities.
We also run a number of other supportive services and interesting projects.