SandwellWest Midlands > Sandwell POhWER has worked in Sandwell since 2006. Last year we provided advocacy support to 277 Sandwell residents. We are pleased to announce that POHWER now provides IMCA and IMHA services in Sandwell and continues to deliver NHS complaints and Community/Care Act Advocacy. We offer the following services in Sandwell: NHS Complaints Advocacy for people who wish to make a complaint about treatment provided under the NHS Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and Relevant Person's Paid Representative (RPPR) service is a statutory advocacy service to support vulnerable people who lack capacity and need to make important decisions but have no representatives as defined under the Mental capacity Act 2005. Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA). Anyone who is detained in a secure Mental Health setting in Sandwell is entitled to access support from an IMHA. This contract also provides an issue based advocacy service for informal inpatients of Sandwell (Hallam St) Hospital via drop ins. Community Advocacy for any person in Sandwell receiving a care/welfare services who has age-related needs, disabilities or prescribed physical or mental health conditions. Care Act Advocacy whereby Local Authority social care teams (and designated organisations) can make a referral to our service for you using the referral form Care Act referral form Volunteering in Sandwell. If you would like to apply all you need to do is fill in the online application form and a member of our volunteer team will contact you to talk to you in more detail about local volunteer opportunities in your area. How do I get support from an advocate? To make a referral to the advocacy services in Sandwell, you can download the forms below: NHS Complaints Advocacy referral form Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) referral form Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) referral form Community Advocacy referral form Community Advocacy (including the Care Act) referral form 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 456 2370 or email [email protected]. Local Resources Download the Sandwell IMCA leaflet (pdf) Download the Sandwell IMHA leaflet (pdf) Download the Sandwell NHS Complaints Advocacy leaflet (pdf) Download the Sandwell Community Advocacy leaflet (pdf) Download the Sandwell Community Advocacy leaflet in EasyRead (pdf) Download the Sandwell volunteering leaflet (pdf) Adele Needed Advocacy Support Read Adele’s story of how, with advocacy support, she has been able to attend meetings in order to improve her health and well being and also to progress her NHS complaint. Read Adele's story here In your area West Midlands Volunteers Celebrations day Volunteer Celebration Day held at Sandwell was a great success. Awards were given out on the day to recognise volunteers that have given up their time to make a difference to someone's life. On the 13th of September Sandwell POhWER held a volunteer celebration day that gave recognition and value to the good work POhWER volunteers do. Trustee John Barzey attended and gave a speech to show his appreciation he said: “This year POhWER celebrates coming of age. POhWER was started by a small group of quite extra ordinary people who began to feel that their needs were not always catered for and decided to do something about it, by forming their own charity. Thanks to their grit, determination and foresight they finally managed to register their organisation as a charity which has grown from strength to strength and continues to grow. They named it POhWER. I do not know for certain if our volunteers have always felt valued. I hope that all of you do and I am here to tell you that you are. I do believe that our charitable institution would not be able to function without the help and support of the volunteers. I am here as a member of POhWER’s Board of Trustees on behalf of our Chairman, Mark Gray, to tell you we value your contribution and offer our congratulations on your achievements and would like to thank you all very much.” Trustee John Barz Two of the awards given out on the day where: Long Services Award This award went to Balwinder Nota that joined POhWER on the 1st of September 2014, she started working at IAASC supporting the staff with general admin duties and then moved on to Support Ann Hayward at the Sandwell office. Volunteer Balwinder Nota Volunteer of the Year This award went to Heather Barrett, since joining POhWER Heather has been an asset to the team in regards to supporting advocates within Sandwell. Heather can always be relied upon for her commitment and support of the community advocacy services. Volunteer Heather Barrett