Bilingual Advocacy Service
Mission Statement:
Vandu Language Services prides itself on its dedication to quality and excellence in the provision of language, cultural, advocacy and training services. Our service objective is to provide culturally sensitive, accurate and high quality delivery in all of our services.
Our Advocacy Service aims at empowering clients by making sure that their rights are respected and their views and wishes are heard at all times, representing their views, wishes and needs to the decision-makers, and helping them to navigate the system. VLS Advocacy Services provide independent and confidential:
• Information
• Advice
• Advocacy
• Representation
• Support
The East Sussex Migrant Health Advocacy Pilot Project (September 2010 - August 2012)
A free bilingual advocacy service is now available in East Sussex. This is a great achievement for East Sussex. Anyone over 18 living in East Sussex whose English is not their first language, can ask for help from the Pilot Migrant Health Advocacy Service.
Vandu Language Services is working with health organisations in East Sussex and SIS to provide this service to eligible residents. Advocates will support clients in their own language to access free NHS services including GPs, dentists, hospital and mental health services.
We can help you to get the healthcare you need
For more information in 12 other languages...
Clients requiring this service can book an advocate by referring themselves or others who meet the criteria by contacting us either by phone, e-mail, fax or post. After an initial assessment, we will ask you to complete the Bilingual Advocate Referral Form. (Download the form here)
To help us with the assessment of your needs, you may wish to complete the referral form and send it to us in advance. Referrals can be made by interested parties, their family or friends or the public service professionals working with them.
The East Sussex Migrant Health Advocacy Project pilot aims to improve the health and well-being of migrant communities within East Sussex by improving access to health and well-being services. In order to achieve these objectives the service works to:
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Inform and interpret, offer guidance and support for service users to enable them to
use relevant health services in a beneficial and appropriate way;
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Elicit the views, needs, expectations and concerns of the service user and actively
pursue, represent and act in their interest;
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Work with individuals, families, groups and communities to support the empowerment of individuals and migrant communities and enable these community access to health services ‘by supporting patient choice and voice within BME communities’ (DoH 2008); and
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Address information and language barriers of migrant individuals by
improving access to health services and information;
For more details on this project visit the East Sussex Downs and Weald NHS website or give us a call
.
Bilingual Advocacy for Public Services
Our Advocacy services will seek to inform and interpret, offer guidance and support for service users, their relatives and carers. This will enable them to use the relevant services in a beneficial and appropriate way, and to address any complaints or concerns they may have about services.
Advocates are responsible for providing a professional service to users to ensure that the user's views, needs and rights are expressed and that information is given to the user, or their relative or carer. They will work closely with you, the public professionals, to monitor the individual’s progress. Read more....
Download the Bilingual Advocate Referral Form here.
Please contact us for an information pack on this service.
VLS team
01273 473 986
info@vlslanguages.com