Independent Mental Health Advocacy is a free service for eligible patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. IMHAs help patients to have their rights upheld and their voices heard, and support patients to be better informed.
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IMHAs can support patients who are on a Section 2, Section 3, Section 37/41, CTO, subject to guardianship, or informal patients awaiting certain treatments.
People can self-refer for IMHA support, or others can make referrals on their behalf. IMHAs will always gain your consent before supporting you and will listen to what you want.
An IMHA is independent from the NHS and from the Local Authority and an IMHA is there to support you and be on your side.
An IMHA is a specialist advocate with legal rights which are not available to other advocates. With these rights, an IMHA may:
Meet 'qualifying' patients in private so that the patient may speak confidentially
Consult with professionals concerned with the patient's care and treatment
See any records relating to the patient's detention, treatment, or after-care, for the purpose of providing help to the patient and where the patient consents
Request access to records where the patient lacks capacity to consent, if accessing the records is necessary to carry out the functions as an IMHA.
An IMHA cannot get you discharged however they can make your needs known, ensure you are given the right information in the way you can understand it, and can action a tribunal if you wish to appeal.
There are different ways to self-refer for Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) - via our website, email our team at [email protected], or call us on 0333 305 1329.
Our team of IMHAs are on site at Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Unit on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you are detained under the Mental Health Act you can ask a professional or a friend or family member to make a referral on your behalf.
An independent advocate is always on your side and helps people to navigate complex processes or decisions.
Libra Partnership is a statutory Independent Advocacy provider working to support vulnerable adults undergoing processes or decisions, and deprivations of liberty. As well as IMHA we also specialise in Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy, Independent Care Act Advocacy, Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (NHS Complaints) and Rule 1.2 Representations for people deprived of their liberty in the community.
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