AC1018 NHS Independent Complaints Advocacy Service-Project

The duty to commission NHS Complaints Advocacy services transferred from central Government to local authorities under section 185 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. In Wiltshire the service was commissioned for a two-year interim period and delivered alongside the County's Statutory and generic advocacy services. This was to enable the collection of data and intelligence to inform the long-term approach to providing the service after April 2015. The key focus of the service is to empower and assist people to go through the complaints process, equipping them with the support they need to articulate their concerns and navigate the system empowering more vulnerable people who may struggle to be heard otherwise. All NHS services are covered including GPs, hospitals, pharmacies, opticians and dentists. The support ranges from advice and self-help packs to one to one support and case management.