Advocacy

Healthwatch West Sussex provides a free and Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service, which helps local people explore options for getting their voice heard when they feel something has gone wrong with their health service.

Advocates support local people to explore their complaint options and can provide practical assistance, ranging from help in writing a complaint letter, attending a resolution meeting, and putting your complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.

You can find out more on the Healthwatch West Sussex Website, which also has a range of self-help material and guides.

You can contact Healthwatch West Sussex on:

Phone: 0300 012 0122
Email: helpdesk@healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk

If a person who lacks capacity has great difficulty being involved in planning their social care support, and does not have someone else to represent them, West Sussex County Council (WSCC) and its partnership organisations must under the Care Act provide them with an Independent Care Act advocate.

The Independent Care Advocacy service is provided by The Advocacy People, more information can be found on their website - Home | The Advocacy People

Independent Care Act Advocates can help the person who lacks capacity to:

• be fully involved in their social care assessment, care planning, and review
• if WSCC are supporting a person because they are at risk of abuse or neglect.

An Independent Care Act Advocate can:

• listen to them
• obtain information for the person, or put them in touch with someone who can
• investigate other sources of support
• find out what the person’s rights are
• help the person to plan any action they may need or wish to take
• spend time with the person preparing for meetings
• attend meetings with them
• help the person to put across their viewpoint to others
• link with relevant agencies on the person’s behalf

Referrals to the ICAA service are made through a social care worker or health care worker.

If you are a professional working for one of WSCC's partnership organisations and wish to refer an adult for an Independent Advocate, please contact the Adults Social Care support team via the assessment form below.

Request for an assessment form

Adults' CarePoint

You can contact Adults’ CarePoint online for more information, or

Phone: 01243 642121 - 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Calls via Relay UK:  18001 01243 642121 (For deaf callers from a textphone or the NGT Lite app downloaded onto a computer, tablet or smartphone).

You may also prefer someone else, such as a relative, friend or your GP to contact us for you.

If you have special communication needs contact one of the teams below to discuss your situation:

County Deaf Services Team

• Email: county.deaf.services@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: Use central phone (01243 642121) and Relay UK numbers above
• SMS: 07736 093462 (text only)
• Address: ACP Duty - Deaf, Second Floor, The Grange, County Hall, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RG

Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVI) Team

• Email: rovi.visualimpairment@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: 01243 642121

The IMCA service is provided by The Advocacy People, more information can be found on their website - Home | The Advocacy People.

The Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) service helps a person if they are: 

• assessed as lacking mental capacity
• over 16
• do not have an appropriate family member or friend to help them

The IMCA service can support a person who lacks capacity in the following situations:

• when decisions need to be made about their future long- term accommodation moves, such as from hospital to residential care or serious medical treatment.
• if the person is assessed under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and there are no appropriate family members or friends to support them, or the person needs help to understand their rights.
• if the person is involved in an adult safeguarding investigation and there are concerns that their family members or friends will not be able to support them or act in their best interests.

Referrals to the IMCA service are made through a person’s social care worker or health care worker.

Adults' CarePoint

You can contact Adults’ CarePoint online for more information, or

Phone: 01243 642121 - 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Calls via Relay UK: 18001 01243 642121 (For deaf callers from a textphone or the NGT Lite app downloaded onto a computer, tablet or smartphone).

The person may also prefer someone else, such as a relative, friend or their GP to contact us on their behalf.

If you have special communication needs contact one of the teams below to discuss your situation:

County Deaf Services Team

• Email: county.deaf.services@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: Use central phone (01243 642121) and Relay UK numbers above
• SMS: 07736 093462 (text only)
• Address: ACP Duty - Deaf, Second Floor, The Grange, County Hall, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RG

Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVI) Team

• Email: rovi.visualimpairment@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: 01243 642121

The (IMHA) service is provided by Mind, you can find out more on the Mind website. Mind provides two types of advocacy. 

Independent Mental Health Advocacy helps you if you are:

• detained in hospital under the heath act
• at risk of being detained in hospital under the mental health act
• under Community Treatment Orders (CTOs).

Referrals to the IMHA service can be made by yourself or by asking somebody directly involved with your care and treatment to do this with your permission.

You can contact the IMHA Service Central Office on:

Phone: 01273 666950

Email: info@mindcharity.co.uk

If you need help in a mental health crisis call NHS 111 and select option 2 or visit getting help in a mental health crisis.

If you or the person who you are calling about is in immediate danger please call 999.

You may also prefer someone else, such as a relative, friend or your GP to contact us for you.

If you have special communication needs contact one of the teams below to discuss your situation:

County Deaf Services Team

• Email: county.deaf.services@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: Use central phone (01243 642121) and Relay UK numbers above
• SMS: 07736 093462 (text only)
• Address: ACP Duty - Deaf, Second Floor, The Grange, County Hall, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RG

Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVI) Team

• Email: rovi.visualimpairment@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: 01243 64121

You can get support if you:

• experience mental health issues and live in the community
• have agreed or asked to stay in a mental health unit voluntarily
• live in the community and want to access mental health services because you believe you have an undiagnosed mental health condition.

 You can find out more about community advocacy on the Mind website.

You can contact the Community Mental Health Advocacy Service on:

Phone: 01273 666950

Email: info@mindcharity.co.uk

If you need help in a mental health crisis call NHS 111 and select option 2 or visit getting help in a mental health crisis.

If you or the person who you are calling about is in immediate danger please call 999.

You may also prefer someone else, such as a relative, friend or your GP to contact us for you.

If you have special communication needs contact one of the teams below to discuss your situation:

County Deaf Services Team

• Email: county.deaf.services@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: Use central phone (01243 642121) and Relay UK numbers above
• SMS: 07736 093462 (text only)
• Address: ACP Duty - Deaf, Second Floor, The Grange, County Hall, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RG

Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVI) Team

• Email: rovi.visualimpairment@westsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: 01243 64121