Advocacy

This page is for adults in Solihull who may need help to understand or make decisions about care, treatment, or support.

An advocate is someone who can help you:

  • say what you want
  • understand your rights
  • make decisions about your care
  • make your voice heard in meetings

Advocates are independent which means they represent you and not organisations, such as the council, hospitals or care providers. 

Statutory advocacy 

Solihull Council funds statutory advocacy services for adults and parents. This page is about services for adults. You can read about parental advocacy in the Children and Families section of our website. 

Statutory advocacy means you have a legal right to an advocate in certain situations. This may include if you:

  • are detained under the Mental Health Act
  • lack mental capacity to make certain decisions
  • need support with serious care or medical decisions and have no one else to help

Types of statutory advocacy

Below you will find the types of statutory advocacy and how to request support.  

Care Act advocacy 

Care Act advocacy is for people who need help to take part in their care and support assessments and planning. 

It is provided if you find it very hard to: 

  • understand information
  • remember information
  • use information and make decisions
  • talk and communicate with people 

Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) 

IMHAs help people who are detained under the Mental Health Act to understand their rights and treatment options and to participate in decisions about their care.

Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) 

IMCAs support people who lack mental capacity, cannot make certain decisions, and do not have family or friends who are able to help.

They are involved in important decisions such as:

  • medical treatment
  • where you live

Independent NHS complaints advocacy 

This advocacy is for people who want to complain about an NHS service or treatment they have received. 

The service is for anyone who lives in Solihull or people who live outside Solihull but are registered at a general practice (doctor’s surgery) in the borough. 

How to request advocacy support 

Solihull Action through Advocacy (SAtA) is an independent charity we fund to provide independent statutory advocacy.  

You can request support from SAtA via:

Advocacy for carers 

If you are an unpaid carer looking for advice and information about advocacy, please contact Carers Trust Solihull. 

Understanding advocacy 

To discuss advocacy in person you can visit our Community Advice Hubs. 

You may also find advocacy services by searching the Solihull Directory. 

For information about mental capacity and decision making, you can visit our help to make decisions about your life page.