A free service has been launched to help people in Essex be heard in decisions about their health, care and wellbeing.

Voice and rights charity VoiceAbility has started a contract with Essex County Council to provide a wide range of advocacy services for adults and children in the area.

Services include providing independent support for people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act, people deprived of their liberty in a care home or hospital and for decisions about care and support.

Essex residents can also get support with making a complaint about their NHS treatment or care, as well as general advocacy which does not fall under specific government legislation such as the Care Act.

The children’s advocacy service includes support for looked after children up to and including the age of 18, for young people aged 16 to 25 who are leaving care, and disabled children and young people up to and including the age of 19.

VoiceAbility already provides advocacy services in many areas across the country, including the nearby London boroughs of Redbridge, Newham and Camden, as well as Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire.

Rachel, who was admitted to hospital after a fall at home, is among those to have benefited from the independent support available.

The doctors assessed her as lacking capacity, and wanted to move her to long-term accommodation due to her injury and mental health conditions. But when her advocate Tracey visited, Rachel was firm about wanting to remain independent.

Tracey requested another capacity assessment, and Rachel was assessed to have capacity to make decisions.

Steps are now being taken to support Rachel to move back to her own home.

For more information about the free advocacy services VoiceAbility provides in Essex, visit voiceability.org/essex.

Sarah Banholzer, VoiceAbility’s operations manager for the south, said: “VoiceAbility is passionate about supporting people to be heard when it matters most.

"We’re really pleased to be working with Essex County Council and support networks across the area to reach as many people who need our services as possible.

"If you think you or a friend or family member would benefit from support to be heard in decisions about health or social care, you can call us for free on 0300 303 1660 or refer yourself for support on our website."

The charity also runs Speak Out Essex, a group led by autistic people which launched last July with the aim to improve services for autistic people across the country.