Advocacy Support Cymru

Advocacy Support Cymru (ASC) is a registered charity that specialises in the provision of professional, confidential and independent advocacy.

Our Advocates can support in relation to treatment, medication, services, rights and options and will enable you to have your say in your treatment and care. We do not offer any advice services.

IMHA is available to:
- People detained under the Mental Health Act or subject to a Community Treatment Order or Guardianship.
- Conditionally discharged restricted patients.
- Informal inpatients being treated or assessed for a mental health condition.

All Health Boards in Wales provide an IMHA service for qualifying patients in their area. At this time, ASC provides the IMHA service for Aneurin Bevan UHB, Cardiff & Vale UHB, Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB and Swansea Bay UHB.

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) is for:
- When an NHS Body or a Local Authority proposes to provide, withhold or stop serious medical treatment
- When an NHS Body or a Local Authority proposes to arrange or change accommodation
- Care reviews
- Adult protection cases

An advocate may also be required in cases where Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) are applied. An IMCA must be instructed:
- When an Urgent Authorisation has been made and a Standard Authorisation applied for
- When an unauthorised deprivation of liberty is being checked
- When there is a gap in the appointment of a Relative Patients Representative (RPR)
- Where the person does not have a paid ‘professional’ RPR and the relevant person, their representative or the supervisory body feel that an IMCA needs to be instructed to support the RPR role.

All Health Boards in Wales provide an IMCA service for qualifying patients in their area. ASC provides this service in Aneurin Bevan UHB, Cardiff & Vale UHB and Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB.

Community Advocacy is for people who are:
- Receiving secondary mental health services – usually meaning that your care is managed via a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT)
- Psychiatric inpatients requiring advocacy for issues not related to medication or treatment.
- Wishing to be reassessed by a CMHT for secondary services where their case has been closed with the last three years.

All Health Boards in Wales provide a Community Advocacy service for qualifying patients in their area. At this time, ASC provides Community Advocacy service for people of any age in Cardiff & Vale UHB and Swansea Bay UHB areas.

Advocacy for under 18’s:
- Any young person involved in CAMHS can get an ASC advocate to help speak up about the things that are important to them.
- Specialist Advocacy for people with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism. (Funded by Henry Smith Grant until 2025).

The service provides non-statutory advocacy for adults who have a learning disability and/or autism and are receiving primary care services that fall outside of the remit of statutory or community mental health advocacy.

Eligibility:
This specialist advocate will support people with learning disabilities and/or autism in primary and secondary care settings across Cardiff & Vale, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Aneurin Bevan & Swansea Bay University Health Board areas
Clients can self-refer to the service and referrals can also be made by professionals, family and friends – the same process as Community referrals.
The specialist service will support people to understand their legal rights and access reasonable adjustments, help with behaviour support plan meetings and care plan meetings, support to access medical records, talk to professionals, support with complaints and compliments and support with any other concerns.

Home from Hospital Dementia Advocacy Service. (Funded by West Glamorgan Regional Integrated Fund until October 2024).

The service provides non-statutory advocacy for inpatients in Swansea Bay UHB hospitals, with dementia, even where dementia is not the primary cause for admission.

A referral to the Home from Hospital Dementia Advocacy Service can be made when the discharge planning process commences and home discharge is being considered.

Advocacy involvement will commence during the discharge process and will continue post-discharge in order to ensure a smooth transition of care. Advocacy involvement will cease once care or support is in place, the patients outcomes have been met, the patient no longer needs or wants advocacy input.

Referrals can be made by the patient, their carers or health and social care professionals.