Advocacy is support for people who can’t make or understand important decisions.
Sometimes people are not able to make important decisions themselves and do not have family or friends who are able to help them.
Advocacy is free, independent and confidential.
Adult Social Care commissions statutory advocacy services for adults and also some discretionary services on behalf of the NHS.
Advocacy can help someone:
- understand their rights
- understand decisions being made
- challenge decisions they do not agree with
- make sure they are treated fairly
The Care Act
This says we (ÖйúPÕ¾) must arrange for an independent person (called an “independent advocate”) to be available to represent and support someone for the purpose of helping the individual's involvement, but only if the conditions below are met.
There are 2 qualifying criteria, and both need to be met:
- the person has substantial difficulty in being fully involved with their assessment, care and support planning and review or safeguarding
- there is no one appropriate and available to support their engagement in assessment process and represent their wishes.
What does ‘no one appropriate’ mean?
There are many reasons why someone might not want friends or family to be their advocate. A professional (like a social worker or occupational therapist) might also think friends or family aren't suitable.
If the person receiving care doesn't want a friend or family member as their advocate, or if the professional thinks it's not appropriate, then a referral for independent advocacy can be made.
There are two types of advocacy:
Instructed advocacy
This is when someone can direct an advocate and remain in control and can also decide when to end that support. They are able to ask the advocate for support and tell them what actions they would like to be taken on their behalf.
POhWER provides:
- Instructed Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
- Instructed Care Act Advocacy
- Instructed Discretionary Advocacy
Social care or health professionals referring people for should use the online referral forms.
Only professionals can refer to POhWER for Care Act Advocacy.
If you or someone else is wishing to self-refer for Instructed Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) or discretionary advocacy, please telephone or email POhWER.
The information on the POhWER website contains leaflets which can be downloaded to explain the different types of instructed advocacy as well as other resources.
Contact details:
is open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (excluding bank holidays).
- Telephone: 0300 456 2370
- Text: Send the word POhWER with your name and number to 81025
- Email:surrey@pohwer.net (general enquiries and call back requests)
- Website:
You will be asked to complete a formal referral after initial consultation with POhWER staff.
Non-instructed advocacy
Is when someone cannot direct an advocate for example they may have:
- an impairment due injury
- a medical condition for example dementia
- a mental health issue for example psychosis or neurosis
- a learning disability
- Autism
- a serious physical illness
Matrix Ltd give non-instructed advocacy for adults.
They help with:
- Non-Instructed Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
- Non-Instructed Care Act Advocacy
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
- Relevant Persons Representatives (DoLS)
Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) and Care Act Advocacy referrals
- these should be made to POhWER in the first instance. If it is then established that the person lacks mental capacity to instruct an IMHA, the referrals will be forwarded to Matrix
- if you know before the referral that the person lacks mental capacity to instruct an advocate, then the referral can be made directly to Matrix
Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) and Non-Instructed Care Act Advocacy
- referrals need to go direct to Matrix
- use the Matrix online referral forms, or look at information on the Matrix website for more information
Contact details:
- Telephone: 0300 199 0301
- Email (general enquiries): enquiries@matrixsdt.com
- Email (referrals): referral@matrixsdt.com
- Website:
Information for the people we support
If you wish to give information about advocacy to the people we support, please refer them to either: