Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of independent advocacy services for patients in Wiltshire.

Advocacy services play an important role in helping patients' voices to be heard and in ensuring their legal rights are protected. Guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence indicates that advocacy can provide several benefits, including helping to uphold individuals’ rights, supporting vulnerable individuals, involvement in decision-making, and promoting continuity of care.

There are several different types of patient advocacy services, and it is for local commissioning bodies to plan and commission advocacy services, in line with relevant legislation.

Specifically on complaints advocacy services, whilst National Health Service organisations must have their own complaints procedures, they are not required to provide complaints advocacy services. The legal duty to provide this service rests with local authorities, who are required by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to make arrangements for the provision of independent advocacy services in their area. Each year the Government provides approximately £15 million of grant funding to local authorities towards this service.