Independent advocacy for adults and older people

Independent advocacy helps you have your say, understand your rights and make informed choices about your care and support. If you feel unheard, unsure what to do, or need help challenging a decision, you can ask for advocacy at any time.

Advocacy is free, confidential and separate from all health and social care services. Support is available for adults and older people across South Lanarkshire.

What independent advocacy does

Independent advocates can help you:

express your views and wishes
understand information so you can make your own decisions
have your rights protected
challenge decisions you think are unfair
take part fully in meetings about your health or social care

Advocates do not make decisions for you. Their role is to support you to speak up or to speak on your behalf if you want them to.

Who can use advocacy

You can use advocacy if you are:

an adult or older person living in South Lanarkshire
receiving health or social care support
facing decisions about treatment or care
a carer who needs help to understand your rights
experiencing mental ill‑health, disability, or other circumstances that make it harder to be heard

Some people may have a legal right to independent advocacy, including under mental health and carers legislation in Scotland. Advocacy services and supports feature in a range of legislation such as

Types of advocacy

We commission a range of supports for adults and older people, including:

independent advocacy – one‑to‑one support
collective advocacy – groups with shared experiences who speak up together
peer advocacy – support from someone with similar lived experience

How to get advocacy support

Our commissioned provider for adults and older people is:

Equalsay
Phone: 01698 376777
Website: www.equalsay.org
Address: 104 Stewarton Street, Wishaw, ML2 8AG

You can contact Equalsay directly to ask for advocacy.

The Independent Advocacy Principles, Standards and Code of Best Practice is available on the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance website.

The Lanarkshire Advocacy Plan 2025–2030 sets out how local organisations work together to support advocacy across the area.