Advocacy services

The Advocacy People (formerly called SEAP) is a charity that gives independent and free advice about making complaints.

In Buckinghamshire, The Advocacy People can help if you are unhappy with the service you, or someone else, has received from the NHS. This is called Independent Health Complaints Advocacy or IHCA).

Initial enquiries are made at the national level and then routed to the local body.

POhWER has been working in Buckinghamshire since 2012. They offer the following services in Buckinghamshire:

• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) and Relevant Person’s Paid Representative Services (RPPR)
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
• Care Act Advocacy

Advocacy in Social Care is sourced and provided by the Local Authority. If you need an advocate, you should ask Bucks Council to “refer you for a statutory advocate” in relation to your case. They must refer you, although you may not be assigned an advocate. If they do not refer you, you should complain to the Council.

The Mind website has more information about Social Care advocates.

The Advocacy People (formerly called SEAP) is a charity that gives independent and free advice.

In Buckinghamshire, The Advocacy People also provide support to veterans making the transition to civilian life. They can help with:

• accessing services
• securing housing
• applying for benefits and pensions
• making complaints

Initial enquiries are made at the national level and then routed to the local body.