Advocacy, Independent Support and Representation
Advocacy enables people to be heard and is a process of encouraging and supporting someone to speak up for themselves and/or representing their views to others.
EARS Advocacy Service
Are you, or is someone you know:
- an older person living in the community and needing support and representation?
- a person living in the community with a physical disability needing support and representation?
- an older person living in a care home or in hospital needing support and representation?
- an older person thinking about moving into long stay care?
The West Lothian professional advocacy service is provided by Edinburgh Advocacy Representation Service (EARS West Lothian) and is free, confidential and independent.
By seeking to uphold the rights of older people living in the community, older people already in, or moving into, long stay care or people living in the community with a physical disability, the service aims to ensure that older people will:
- be respected and listened to
- be involved in decisions that affects their lives
- have aspirations for the future
- contribute to and participate in their communities
Contact Details
EARS Advocacy Service
Unit 14 Grampian Court,
Beveridge Square
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 6QF
Tel. 01506 205840
E-mail: info@ears-advocacy.org.uk
Website: www.ears-advocacy.org.uk (opens new window)
Mental Health Advocacy West Lothian
The Mental Health Advocacy Project provides professional independent advocacy services for anyone who has or has had a mental health and / or addiction problems who lives in or is receiving treatment in West Lothian. The project also provides advocacy services to HMP Addiewell.
Contact Details
Mental Health Advocacy Project
Strathbrock Partnership Centre,
189a West Main Street,
BROXBURN,
West Lothian,
EH52 5LH
Telephone: 01506 857230
Email : admin@mhap.org.uk
Website: Mental Health Advocacy West Lothian (opens new window)
Who Cares? Scotland
Who Cares? Scotland provides independent advocacy by working one on one with a young person to help them have a say in what is happening to them. They provide professional, independent advocacy services in most local authority areas in Scotland.
Independent Advocacy for Unpaid Carers
If you identify as an Unpaid Carer, you may be able to access up to 20 hours of independent advocacy if you need it, for example, if you have vulnerabilities that mean you need robust support to understand your rights, express your views, and make informed decisions about care and support options when accessing Self-Directed Support (SDS).
You can self-refer or be referred by any other organisation to The Mental Health Advocacy Project (MHAP) (SCIO) or EARS Independent Advocacy Service (SCIO) using the contact details above. Though it is helpful to include a brief explanation of the issue and the assistance you require, the provider will contact you to discuss this in any case.
The provider will then request approval from the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) for a spot purchase of up to 20 hours of independent advocacy. Refusal of a request for advocacy is on the expert recommendation of the provider based on need and a final decision is made following discussion with the HSCP. It may be agreed to provide advocacy over a shorter initial period to allow a full assessment of need by the provider.
Similarly, if an application is made for the continuation of advocacy following the initial provision of 20 hours, a discussion between the provider and the HSCP will take place to determine if, after working with the client for 20 hours, the provider considers that an individual still requires support.
The HSCP makes decisions around the spot purchasing of independent advocacy based on the expert professional opinion of the providers. There is no route to appeal.
Please note that providers are not contractually obliged to take referrals from Unpaid Carers - it will depend on their capacity at any given time, with priority given to those with most need, particularly where there is a statutory requirement to provide independent advocacy. EARS Independent Advocacy Service do not generally accept referrals from Unpaid Carers who do not otherwise have a statutory right to independent advocacy.