Dorset Advocacy

General information

Dorset Advocacy began its work as a citizen advocacy scheme supporting people who have learning disabilities. Whilst this remains a key part of our work, over the past 20 years we have developed into an organisation that now serves the whole community. We were one of only 7 organisations in England chosen by the Department of Health to pilot Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) in 2006, and we have been the IMCA provider for Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole ever since. The majority of those supported by IMCA are people who have dementia. In 2008-11 we supported people with learning disabilities affected by the NHS Campus Closure programme, ensuring that they received person-centred support in the community. Since 2012 we have been part of the national Cancer, Older People and Advocacy pilot, recruiting volunteers who have been affected by cancer to support and speak up for present-day patients. Since April 2013 we have provided Help with NHS Complaints, advocacy for anyone who wants help with a complaint about the National Health Service. Dorset Advocacy now helps over 1200 people from the Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth areas every year. In 2012 we launched 'Got a Voice? Got a Choice!', our first fundraising campaign, which aims to identify and give a voice to people isolated because of dementia or severe learning disability.