In health and social care – particularly during the current pandemic – we’re often bombarded with statistics. It’s easy to become one step removed from the real experiences of real people. And when so many of those statistics are about people not getting the basics of what they need, we can become disheartened about the difference we can make.
We’ve spoken to our advocates and user involvement team about what moves them in the work they do – and how they’ve made a significant difference to people’s lives. They’ve told us personal stories of those they work with.
- John had been physically assaulted on a mental health ward. He needed our support to rebuild physical and emotional safety.
- Angela wasn’t getting the medicine she needed to reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia. She needed our support to make sure her parents gave her the right medication.
- Fatima had terminal brain cancer. She wasn’t receiving proper physical care, and was being exposed to distressing levels of conflict at home. We supported her to get the care and home environment she needed.
- Raj had been in prisons and mental health units for much of his adult life. He needed our help to get access to spiritual support that made a real difference to his wellbeing.
- Ali wanted to challenge the reasons why he was being detained on a mental health ward. Through our support, he built his confidence to instruct a solicitor and arrange a mental health tribunal.
- John had difficulty accessing a Covid-19 test and getting the results because he didn’t have access to the internet
- Joan was not being listened to about where she would like to live following a stroke. With support from an advocate, she was able to return to her home.
(We’ve changed service users’ names to protect confidentiality.)
We’ve also made a short video illustrating how advocacy makes a difference in people’s lives.