Hertfordshire

Central and East of England > Hertfordshire

POhWER was founded in Hertfordshire in 1996. 

We deliver services in the county as part of the HertsHelp service, in partnership with a wide range of voluntary sector organisations; including:

• Carers in Herts (CiH),
• Headway Hertfordshire,
• Herts Independent Living service (HILS),
• Herts Vision Loss
• Watford Mencap
• St Albans Mencap
• Hertsmere Mencap

Read the latest POhWER Hertfordshire newsletter to find out what we have been doing in Hertfordshire. 

Read the 'Improving health of people with learning disabilities' November 2019 newsletter in EasyRead by Hertfordshire County Council here

We offer the following services in Hertfordshire:

• HertsHelp Advice & Information
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and Relevant Person's Paid Representative Services (RPPR).
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
• Health and Social Care advocacy Service(including Community Advocacy) and Independent Care Act Advocacy)
• NHS Complaints Advocacy
• Brokerage Support Service
• Secure Services Advocacy
• Partner for the Hospital & Community Navigation Service
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

How do I get support from an advocate?

To make a referral to the advocacy services in Hertfordshire, you can download the forms below:

• HertsHelp Advocacy referral form
• HertsHelp NHS Complaints Advocacy referral form
• HertsHelp Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) referral form
• HertsHelp Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) referral form
• HertsHelp Advocacy for Parents Professional referral form
• HertsHelp Advocacy Heath & Social Care Advocacy referral form (includes Care Act Advocacy)
• HertsHelp Brokerage Support Service referral and consent form
• HertsWise Professional Referral Form for Carers
• HertsWise Professional Referral Form for People with dementia or memory loss

If you are not sure whether you can get an advocate, or for more information, advice and support in your area, you can contact us on 0300 123 4044 or email [email protected].

The HertsHelp Hub is open 8am - 8pm Monday-Friday and 10am - 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

Local Leaflets

Other useful information

Learning disabilities - help with your health

The Learning disabilities - help with your health website supports people with a learning disability (and their carers) to access help with their health. 

The website currently includes:

• Easy-read Leaflets regarding Learning Disability Nursing Services and what they can do to help you
• Information regarding Annual Health Checks
• Information regarding Purple Folders
• List of Purple Star Services in Hertfordshire. (The Purple Star a quality kite mark and is offered to all health providers who are willing to review their service, to undertake training and improvements to provide a reasonably adjusted, equitable service for people with a Learning Disability).
• A section on ‘How to Stay Healthy’

Volunteer in Hertfordshire

Throughout the year we value the support provided by volunteers across our services in Hertfordshire. We offer a supportive team environment, opportunities to learn new skills or brush up on your existing ones and a chance to gain experience in customer service, administration, IT, advocacy and communication.

We regularly offer student work placements for those studying a variety of courses, including social work, health & social care, administration and customer services. Contact us if you are interested in doing your placement with us and would like to know more.

See below for current volunteer opportunities:

Helpline Hub Referral Assistant

Helpline Assistant

Advocacy Administration Assistant

To apply, please complete the volunteer application form or contact us on 0300 123 4044.

POhWER Local Group explain what POhWER means to them: