Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales
Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee
Ymchwiliad i Eiriolaeth Statudol | Inquiry into Statutory Advocacy Provision
SAP 07
Ymateb gan : Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda
Response from : Hywel Dda University Health Board
Hywel Dda UHB has worked with its three local authority partners, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire County Councils, as well as Powys THB and Powys County Council, to commission a regional advocacy service for children and young people. The new contract commenced on 1st October 2016 and includes a specific specialist advocacy support service for children and young people who wish to make a representation or complaint regarding their health care which will work alongside specialist Mental Health advocacy, Putting Things Right and CHC support.
Funding for this service is provided via the Women and Children’s Directorate although requests for advocacy support may relate to any part of the health care system. The Health Board has commissioned a regional service for the past 3 years and use of independent advocacy has been minimal.
As noted in Part 10 of the SSWB Act, social care and other professionals play a key role in acting as an advocate on behalf of individuals as part of the exercise of their daily professional roles. A key part of our regional independent advocacy contract for children and young people will include the service provider working with groups of health care professionals to brief them on the independent advocacy services available, thus improving awareness of all forms of advocacy as a bi-product of these sessions.
I can only comment on provision for children and young people up to age 18 years, so I’m unsure how the Health Board is providing independent advocacy for adults, or young adults i.e. those up to age 25 years. This is also being considered via the Integrated Programme Delivery Board.