Advocacy
Our independent advocacy service has advocates at each of the four hospital sites in Camden and Islington: the Huntley Centre, the Grove, St Luke's Hospital and Highgate Mental Health Centre. We also have three community advocates who work with people who live in Camden. One of these advocates works specifically with people from black and minority ethnic communities. We also have two Older People's Advocates based at Queen Mary's House. They provide a service to those people staying in Queen Mary's House and to some older people in Camden who are linked into the Community Mental Health Teams.
Independent Mental Health Advocate
Under the recent changes to the Mental Health Act, some people who use mental health services now have a statutory right to access an Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA). Click here for details.
The Advocacy Service is:
- independent of the hospital/NHS
- free
- confidential
When are we available?
- Monday to Friday
- 9:30am to 5:00pm
How do you contact us?
- By phone - You can call us yourself or ask someone to contact us for you
- We visit the wards regularly - you can make an appointment to see us on the ward or just approach us when we're there.
What do we do?
Listen
- We make a point of listening to you
- We don't make judgements about you or what you want
- We only do what you want us to
- We take what you say seriously
Information
- We can give you information on who to talk to about your issues, your rights and how to communicate effectively
- We can given you information about services and how to access them
- We help you to be aware of the choices you can make
- If we can't help you, we'll help you find someone who can
Support
- We support you to speak up for yourself
- We prefer to work with you, instead of working for you
- We encourage you to do as much as you can manage
- We always take your side
Representation
- We can support you in preparing for meetings
- You can speak up and represent yourself (self-advocacy)
- We can attend meetings with you and stand alongside you whilst we raise your issues (supported advocacy)
Highgate Mental Health Centre
Dartmouth Park Hill, London N19 5NX
Tel: 020 7561 4124/4118/4119
Fax: 020 7561 4099
Advocates: Donna Mian and Mary Anne Riley
St Luke's Hospital
Woodside Avenue, London N10 3HU
Tel/Fax: 020 8219 1916
Advocate: Jelena Nikolic
The Grove Centre
3 Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2AQ
Tel: 020 7267 6735
Advocate: Sarah Burgess
The Huntley Centre
St Pancras Hospital
4 St Pancras Way, London NW1 0PE
Tel/Fax: 020 3317 3902
Advocate: Lesley Blanch
Camden Community Advocacy
2c Falkland Road, London NW5 2PT
Tel/Fax: 020 7485 2424
Advocates: Stuart Butler and Yvonne Lentge
BME Community Advocate: Emanuela Disu
Queen Mary's House
23 East Heath Road
London NW3 1DU
Tel/Fax: 020 3317 6580/6579
Senior Advocate: Karen Wilkinson
Islington Community IMHA
8 Manor Gardens, London N7 6LA
Tel: 020 7561 5259
Advocacy Manager: Collette Byrne
Tel: 020 7561 4124
email: collette.byrne@islingtonmind.org.uk
Links
The Antipsychiatry Coalition is a nonprofit volunteer group consisting of people who feel we have been harmed by psychiatry. www.antipsychiatry.org
Critical Psychiatry Network that sets out the arguments against psychiatry and psychiatric treatment. www.critpsynet.freeuk.com
Self Help UK at www.self-help.org.uk Provides a searchable database of over 1,000 self help organisations and support groups across the UK that offer support, guidance and advice to patients, carers and their relatives.
Advocacy service for Lesbians and gay men.
www.pacehealth.org.uk
London based advocacy project Lots of good information.
www.actionforadvocacy.org.uk