Health Care Advocates

Has anyone had social services appoint an advocate to help with general medical care? What are your experiences? How did you manage to get an advocate and were they there when you needed them?

My sensory issues combine with my medical phobias to produce melt down or shut down in medical situations. At times in the past this has meant that I temporarily do not have mental capacity. It often means I am not taking in a word and leaves me in high anxiety states.

My GP referred to social services but social services are refusing. 

At present I simply cannot access any health care.

Parents
  • Hello,

    I have had similar issues and managed to gain a autism advocate to help me communicate when attending any medical appointments. This is useful as well as he knows what the NHS should be providing such as more time and quite places to wait and has stood up for me to help me gain such support. Is there an advocacy service local to you? 

  • Brilliant. Exactly what I need. How did you get that? All the services seem to be passing me from pillar to post

  • Hello,

    I had a support worker who applied to the local advocacy charity on my behalf. Is there such service in your area? I too have been passed around different services and it is not good. I do hope you are able to find support. 

  • Sadly, I have no support work and social services say it's mental health (which it isn't), and the social prescriber says I'll have to pay but even so the only places she can point me to don't actually do that.  The advocacy charity is being brilliant over my complaint issue but this isn't anything in their remit to take on long term.

    My GP says I should have an advocate, but the receptionists won't make an appointment which would make it possible to use one.  And all the responsibility or running around the different organisations is left with autistic person here who find this kind of thing majorly anxiety inducing and stressful (heavy sigh).

Reply
  • Sadly, I have no support work and social services say it's mental health (which it isn't), and the social prescriber says I'll have to pay but even so the only places she can point me to don't actually do that.  The advocacy charity is being brilliant over my complaint issue but this isn't anything in their remit to take on long term.

    My GP says I should have an advocate, but the receptionists won't make an appointment which would make it possible to use one.  And all the responsibility or running around the different organisations is left with autistic person here who find this kind of thing majorly anxiety inducing and stressful (heavy sigh).

Children
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