Mind Legal Line
0300 466 6463 (9am-6pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays)
[email protected]
Provides legal information and general advice on mental health related law.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
03000 616161 (press ‘1’ to speak to the mental health team)
[email protected]
cqc.org.uk
For complaints about anything that may have happened during your time in hospital under section (in England).
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW)
0300 062 8163
hiw.org.uk
Independent regulator for healthcare in Wales, where you can make complaints and provide feedback.
Mental Health Lawyers Association
mhla.co.uk
The Mental Health Lawyers Association provides details of private solicitors in England and Wales. It has a geographical list of solicitors specialising in mental health law.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
nice.org.uk
Produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare.
Office of the Public Guardian
0300 456 0300 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm, except Wednesday 10am–5pm)
justice.gov.uk/about/opg
You can contact the Office of the Public Guardian if you want to appoint someone to make decisions for you, or to get guidance if you’re an attorney or deputy acting on behalf of someone else.
Where can I get support?
Local Mind
Local Minds support thousands of people across England and Wales each year. Their services may include things such as supported housing, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employment and training schemes, counselling and befriending. They may be able to help you find advocacy services in your area.
Find your local Mind here.
Find an advocate
An advocate is a person who can both listen to you and speak for you in times of need. Having an advocate can be helpful in situations where you are finding it difficult to make your views known, or to make people listen to them and take them into account.
For information on advocacy services and groups in your area, you could start by contacting the Mind Legal Line and your local Mind. You can also contact the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) in England, or the Community Health Council in Wales.
Read more about how advocacy might help you.
This information was published in March 2018. We will revise it in 2020.
