Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the capacity of community advocacy services for people living with disabilities, including hearing loss.

Community advocacy services are not a direct responsibility of the Department.

There are statutory provisions to allow people access to advocacy support in specific circumstances. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 gives people who have an impairment, injury or disability, who have no one able to support or represent them, and who lack capacity, the right to independent support and representation. There is also a legal right to advocacy under the Mental Health Act 2007 and the Care Act 2014. The Children and Families Act 2014, Section 32 reinforced the requirement on local authorities to provide information, advice and support to families who have children and young people with a special educational need, through Information, Advice and Support Services.

From 1 August 2016, all organisations that provide National Health Service care and / or publicly-funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard, which requires them to meet the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.