NHS Advocacy

POhWER and Barnardo’s provide free and Independent Advocacy Services and an Independent Visitor Service for residents of Waltham Forest. Note that you can use these services regardless of which borough or area, the service you are complaining about is located.

POhWER deliver:

• Independent Health Complaints Advocacy – here is an easy-to-understand explanatory video on NHS Complaints Advocacy explaining how to get help from an advocate.
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) – this video explains what IMHA is and how you can get support from an advocate if you are detained under the Mental Health Act.
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy including the Relevant Paid Person’s Representative service
• Independent Care Act Advocacy.

See here for more details including referral forms. 

POhWER can be contacted on 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate)

or via email nhscomplaints@pohwer.net  

or text the word Pohwer and your name and number to 81025

or write to POhWER, PO Box 17943, Birmingham, B9 9PR.

Open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Barnardo’s provide:

• Independent Advocacy for Children in Care, care leavers between the ages of 5-25 years, and Children and Young People
• an Independent Visitor Service for Children in Care between the ages of 5-18 years.

Barnardo’s can be contacted on Freephone 0800 085 8287, or telephone 020 8768 5058 or via email Advocacy2@barnardos.org.uk