Independent advocacy for adults and older people
Independent advocacy supports people to have their voices heard and their rights and interests protected. Independent advocacy is a positive force in influencing social change, with the work and ethos of advocacy underpinned by a person-focused and human rights framework. The importance and benefits of independent advocacy are now widely recognised and woven into the fabric of health and social care provision in Scotland.
Advocacy services and supports feature in a range of legislation such as The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Scotland Act 2003, The Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015, The Patients Right (Scotland) Act 2011 and The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.
Key features of effective advocacy include independence from services, empowerment, providing people who access supports with a voice, challenging inequality, promoting social justice and supporting people who access supports to challenge inequity and unfairness. Within Social Care, this can be wide ranging in terms of the most vulnerable in our society.
South Lanarkshire Council, along with other local authority areas, is required to commission a range of advocacy supports for adult and older people in our local area. These supports will consist of independent advocacy, collective advocacy and peer advocacy.
Independent Advocacy Principles, Standards and Code of Best Practice 2019 can be found detailed on the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (siaa) website.
South Lanarkshire recently commissioned one service provider to deliver on all our Advocacy requirements for adults and older people:
Equalsay
Phone: 01698 376777
104 Stewarton St, Wishaw, ML2 8AG
The Lanarkshire Advocacy Plan 2020-2025 is a collaborative partnership plan between North and South Lanarkshire Councils, North and South Health and Social Care Partnerships, NHS Lanarkshire and Advocacy Providers.