What is advocacy?
Many people find it difficult, at times, to get their voice heard about decisions or issues that affect their lives.
Advocacy is taking action to help people to access information, explore and understand their options, and to make their views and wishes known.
About our Advocacy Service
Diabetes UK Advocacy Service provides advocacy to people with diabetes on issues in connection with their diabetes. We also help friends, family and carers acting on behalf of people with diabetes.
The Advocacy Service will prioritise people with diabetes who may be potentially vulnerable. This means people who:
- Have a learning disability
- Have physical or sensory impairments; or are very seriously ill
- Have a mental illness including dementia
- Are older (over 60)
- Are a child (under 17)
- Are in a form of institution; this includes hospitals, care homes, prisons etc
- Have very poor spoken or written English.
What we can offer now
The main form of advocacy we currently provide involves letter-writing, sending emails and making phone calls on behalf of clients.
Help for you to advocate for yourself
If you are not in need of assistance but are confused about your rights and would like to advocate for yourself, we have produced a series of Advocacy packs which will help clarify your rights and the options available to you.
We are not able to offer
- Legal advice or legal advocacy
- Accompanying to meetings
- Detailed benefit advice
- Health advice.
But we can refer people on to the relevant agencies that can help.
How to contact Advocacy
By telephone
020 7424 1840, Monday to Friday, 10am–3pm
By email
Send your enquiries by email to: advocacy@diabetes.org.uk.
By post
Send your letters to:
Diabetes UK Advocacy Service
Macleod House
10 Parkway
London
NW1 7AA