Individual Advocacy - Sydney Local Health District

Listed below are community basedorganisations funded via National orState Advocacy Programs availableto consumers of the Sydney LocalHealth District.These services are free andconfidential.People with Disability Australia IncPhone: 02 9370 3100Address: Ground Floor, 52 Pitt St,Redfern NSW 2016Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 5:00pmEligibility: People with a disabilityIntellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS)Phone: 02 9318 0144Address: Suite 2C, 199 Regent St,Redfern NSW 2016Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pmEligibility: People with intellectual disability, carers,family members, advocatesPhysical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN)Phone: 02 9552 1606Address: St Helen’s Community Centre,3/184 Glebe Point Rd,Glebe NSW 2037Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am to 5:00pmEligibility: People with physical disabilities across NSWMulticultural Disability Advocacy Associationof NSW (MDAA).Phone: 9891 6400Address: 10-12 Hutchinson Street,Granville NSW 2142Eligibility: People from a non English SpeakingBackground in NSW with disability, families/carers whoare aged under 65, or acquired the disability prior to 65Brain Injury Association NSWPhone: (02) 9868 5261Address: Suite 102, Level 1, 3 Carlingford Rd,Epping NSW 2121Eligibility: People with an Acquired Brain Injury NSWThe Aged-care Rights Service Inc (TARS)Phone: 02 9281 3600Address: Level 4, 418a Elizabeth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am - 4:30pmEligibility: Residents of aged supported accommodationor relative; user of community support services, olderpersons requiring legal adviceMental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS)Phone: 02 9745 4277 (phone and TTY)Address: 4th Floor, 74-76 Burwood Rd,Burwood NSW 2134Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am-5:00pmEligibility: Mental Health Consumers in NSWIndigenous Disability Advocacy ServicePhone: 02 47223524 Fax: 02 47226126Address: 127 Lethbridge Street, Penrith NSW 2750Hours: Mon - Fri 8:30am to 4:30pmEligibility: Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islanderpeople with disability their families and carers within NSWCity and Inner West Disability Advocacy (CIWDA)Phone: 02 9281 8699 Fax: 9211 1366Address: Suite 8, Level 1, 330 Wattle Street,Ultimo NSW 2007Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pmEligibility: People with a disability, their familiesand carersHandital NSW IncPhone: 02 97128150Address: Lvl 3, Suite 311/49-51 Queens Road,Five Dock NSW 2045Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am to 5:00pmEligibility: People with an intellectual disability froman Italian background in the Sydney Metro areaIDEASPhone: Toll Free: 1800 029 904Address: Suite 8, Level 1, 330 Wattle St,Ultimo NSW 2007Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pmEligibility: People with disability, their families and carersAugust 2013Photography by kind parmission of Tourism New South Wales.AVS 72442Individual AdvocacyInformation for consumers ofSydney Local Health Districtand their Advocates

What is an Advocate?An advocate is someone who assistsindividuals to deal with disadvantage,discrimination and other barriers they mayface because of their circumstances.Advocates may do this on either a short-term,long-term or issue specific basis.An advocate is a person who, with theconsumers authority, will represent theirinterests or negotiate on their behalf.An advocate may be a family member,a friend or a person formally arranged througha Government funded Advocacy service.Who are advocacy services for?Older people receiving Australian Governmentsubsidised aged care services and all peoplewith disabilities can access formal advocacyservices.It is advisable to inform your health careprovider if you have an advocate, so that heor she may be included in your health care.Advocates will be accepted by Sydney LocalHealth District as representing the interestsof the consumer and may be used duringassessments, reviews, complaints or for anyother communication between the consumerand the District.What are my responsibilitiesas an Advocate?If a consumer of Sydney Local Health Districthas asked you to be their advocate, this meansthey would like you to act on their behalf in theirdealings with their health care providers.Being an advocate may mean your attendanceor involvement will be required duringassessments and/or reviews of the consumer’sneeds and services received. You may alsoask to be involved if the consumer wishes tocommunicate or negotiate anything with theirservice providers, or lodge a complaint aboutthe service received.As an advocate of a consumerwe ask you to be aware of thefollowing and ensure that:• The consumer has given their authority foryou to act as their advocate• The service has been informed that you areacting as the consumer’s advocate• You always act in the best interests of theconsumer• The consumer is aware of any issues anddevelopments in relation to the services theyreceive and in which you, as their advocate,may be involved• You become familiar with the Charter ofRights and Responsibilities for CommunityCare and SLHD Privacy guidelines.• You encourage the consumer to providefeedback to you about the services theyare receiving• You advise the service about any changesin the consumers circumstances and anyconcerns you may have about theirhealth care needs.For a list of the Governmentfunded Advocacy serviceswhich operate within theSydney Local Health Districtarea, please see overleaf.