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Introduction to ICAS
For most people the National Health Service (NHS) provides a high standard of care, but sometimes things do not go as expected. Everyone has a right to complain if they feel something has gone wrong and for this reason the NHS has a Complaints Procedure.
Section 12 of the Health and Social Care Act places a legal duty on the Secretary of State to make arrangements to provide independent advocacy services to assist individuals making complaints against the NHS.
Using the NHS Complaints Procedure to complain can help your client obtain the answers and explanations they may be seeking. Also, by drawing attention to their personal experiences, they may help to bring about changes and improved services.
POhWER is one of three national Independent Complaints Advocacy Service(ICAS) providers. There are contact details for all providers at the end of this page.
Local health services, for example the hospital, doctors or dentists surgery, should also be able to provide you or your client with information about the NHS Complaints Procedure including details of who to address a complaint to.
Advocates provide a one to one service working with clients to the extent they require. We can simply provide information to help people understand the Complaints process and manage their own complaint- or provide more in depth support such as supporting
client to write letters or attend a meeting. All our work is client-led, free and independent.
For more information about what ICAS Advocates can, and cannot do please follow this link.
How ICAS can help you
Admissions, transfer or discharge
Attitude of staff
Communication and information to patients
Complaints handling
Dentistry
No/slow responses
Misdiagnosis
Opticians
Patients privacy and dignity
Patients property
We can accept referrals to the service either direct as self referrals from clients or from a third party, for example a professional or carer.
Examples of sources of referrals:
Citizens Advice Bureau
Complaints Managers
Consumer Services
Dentists
Friends and Family
General Medical Council
MPs
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You can contact us using the electronic form above, or if you prefer you can contact us by telephone.
Your call will be answered by an Advocacy Support Officer who will ask you for some details and will arrange for our Self Help Information pack to be sent to you. If you would like an Advocate to support you with your complaint you will be asked to sign and return a consent form.
You can expect an Advocate to contact you within one working days of us receiving your signed consent form.
Our Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) covers the East of England, London and the West Midlands Regions. Click on one of the links below for contact details of the office covering your area.
Contact
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire ICAS
Contact
Essex ICAS
Contact
Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk ICAS
Contact
Birmingham & the Black Country ICAS
Contact
Shropshire & Staffordshire ICAS
Contact
Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICAS
Contact
North Central London ICAS
Contact
North East London ICAS
Contact
North West London ICAS
Contact
South East London ICAS
Contact
South West London ICAS
If your region is not shown here please follow this link to see details of ICAS providers in other regions.
ICAS Providers
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