What you told us about our service

I wanted to start by saying a wholehearted thank you for everything you have done for me over the last year.
I never quite new how invaluable getting an advocate would be. I had so many misconceptions and doubts, to the point it delayed me contacting you. To put it in simple terms, you have completely changed my life for the better.
I know that without your support I would not be in the position I am today. I can finally look forward with hope, knowing I’m moving on from a highly inappropriate acute ward. The truth of the matter is that none of this would have been possible without you.
You have been tenacious and determined in ensuring that I get the correct treatment that I deserve. You have consistently advocated for my needs and wishes, unwavering even in the face of opposition from senior members of SHSC. I know that you will have my back no matter what meeting it is. I can always count on you to amplify my voice and ensure that my needs are met.

2024 Comment from a client who used our Independent Mental Health Advocacy support

Individual comments from people who have used our service, that make up this word cloud:

• advocacy has a winning formula, it is just getting people to know that the service is there for them, I have already recommended it to other people
• 1000% satisfied with the help and so grateful for help
• [The advocate was] Easy, efficient, friendly, encouraging, hard working
• Advocate very understanding of what I needed
• They helped and listened and I could not have done it by myself, took the stress out of the situation
• She was really helpful and moved things a long very well, it made everything easier
• Advocate was very knowledgeable and hands on with everything, listened to me, understood things were difficult, very good relationship. Felt very comfortable.
• So friendly and understanding, great experience.
• Having some support and in meetings, helped with daunting situations. Good abilities to navigating the system. Showed me what was available to me.
• Felt really comfortable and he always took notice of us and what we needed
• Really interested in my case what he could do to help me
• She is very approachable and listened, gave options and was very flexible, open and honest.
• Never gave up and kept the case on for a long time, always called me and kept contacting mw
• She understood everyone’s point of view and I liked that she spoke to me about it and explained it to me
• Very pleasant and respectful and understanding
• She was genuine, she wasn’t prejudiced.
• She listened to me
• Kate keeps you well informed and was lovely as a person.
• She was very compassionate and always tried to assist in a professional capacity. Always contactable.
• She was forthright and truthful but she was brilliant
• She was open to my beliefs and goals and what I wanted to say.
• The advocate was incredibly supportive in my own abilities to draft the letter and my knowledge. She was really eager to listen to and understand the impact of my complaint and it did feel that she genuinely cared about my case. As a person she was incredibly helpful. I Would like to stress how warm and caring the advocate was and the feedback is not negative about her as a person.
• She was fantastic, very patient and pushed me to do things for myself but was happy to chase things up for me. It felt like she was passionate and really cared which is not something I normally experience with services. I normally feel people are not invested but she felt like she was fully invested in what I wanted
• She was very good at listening and was not scared to support me or ask any difficult questions for me.
• On the whole she was brilliant, nothing was ever too much and it really helped me as I found some aspects of the ward difficult. I felt we built up a really good repour and it really helped having her in my corner and saying things that I couldn’t.
• Not fully aware of the process I was working in whereas [the advocate] was and she guided me and when I put things in I was able to be very precise and without her I wouldn’t have been able to do this. This proved very useful at the meeting as I was able to say what was needed get the responses I needed.
• he always listened to me and it did help me. I would recommend it anybody else who needed help who was in my position.
• He was an angel in disguise. Felt very at ease with him, he felt like a big a big brother, we could talk well and he was very strong and direct in fighting my corner. I salute him for his work. He made me mentally stronger and he was very genuine, he didn’t just say things he acted on them.
• He was very thorough, explained the service well. He was very contactable and prompt. I can’t fault him and his approach at all.
• She is very understanding and she listens to everything. She is very helpful and she gives me time. She is very considerate and she seems to care about my experiences a lot.
• She was a very nice young lady and she did her best. I was really not very happy with the hospital and the PALS team and I did not know how the system works but the young lady did her best and was very good given the circumstances and that’s all you can do.
• She was patient, understanding, compassionate and professional.
• She was there to represent me and help me get what I needed. I would say I would robably recommend advocacy which is more than maybe.
• Good to have someone listen to you.
• Yes, the letters that were written on my behalf were fabulous.
• She was consistent and kept me informed and shared any information, so felt I was in the loop. Supportive and a good listener. Helped me organise my communication that felt true to me and my experiences.
• Yeah, they were good to talk to.
• Efficient at getting back to me, she was easy to talk to, and very compassionate and understanding. There when I needed her. Had all the information and would see out info if she didn’t know.
• Really nice and helpful, they contacted me how I preferred (email and text) this helped me with my anxiety.
• She was independent from other organisations
• Advocate was clear in saying what they did
• Really appreciative that I got the most out the support and the advocate did the best they could even though it was not the outcome I expected.
• She was really helpful and helped me a lot
• Just to say thank you to the advocate, was so helpful, really glad the service exists.
• Very clear, concise and did everything she could. So glad the organisation exists as don’t know what I’d have done without it
• It was really helpful and really supportive
• very friendly, always understood what we needed and helped with everything, could always call him and felt comfortable to do so
• No just really happy with what happened and keep up the work
• I hope that everyone else in the service has the same attitude and experience
• She listened to me and helped explain things and helped my point of view
• She did a fantastic job and it was really good to have her on my side
• I think she is very trustworthy and I got some closure even though I did not get the result I wanted from the hospital. She put her heart & soul into the work and she truly cared about the work she was doing, there’s a difference between doing a job and caring and that really showed in her work.
• Nothing more than than she was great and really helped me
• I would 150% recommend it to anybody, nothing was ever too much and it was fantastic
• The advice was done very well and she would provide information that was needed. Felt very supported when it came to preparing for the meeting.
• No nothing more just the things about contacting and not having anyone is place if someone is absence.
• he is patient with me and she respects my difficulties.
• Unfortunately her hands were tied but she was very good and did all she could. Unfortunately sometimes there are barriers in place.
• The process was very clear with things and [the advocate] explained why things were the way they were. it was a very positive experience considering everything I was dealing with. [The advocate] made it very easy to deal with and clear to understand.
• Best workers I had, and best organisation I’ve worked with in Sheffield. Very supportive and helped with how overwhelming the situation was. 
• She was there and stood by me and supported me. When we went into meeting she let me speak and helped me when I forgot some things.