Helping Ethan

What was Ethan’s situation before working with Advocacy Focus? 

Ethan* had recently been detained under the Mental Health Act. He didn’t agree that being on a section was necessary and felt the restrictions were too strict for his needs. 

What did Ethan’s Advocate do to help? 

Ethan’s Advocate met with him to listen to his concerns and explain his rights. Ethan was thinking about appealing his section at a tribunal but wasn’t sure it was the right step. His Advocate also explained that he could request a Hospital Managers’ hearing, which might take a few weeks. Ethan decided this was the route he wanted to take. 

Ethan asked his Advocate to attend his weekly ward rounds to support him in asking questions about his medication and leave. Before each meeting, they discussed what Ethan wanted to raise and made a clear list together. During the meetings, the Advocate helped explain information and reminded Ethan of anything he might have missed. 

For example: 

When a doctor mentioned a medication change, the Advocate noticed a report had been completed incorrectly – his medication wasn’t changing. 

When Ethan asked about unescorted leave, the doctor said, “We’ll discuss it next week.” The Advocate then asked for an explanation of the leave assessment process so Ethan could understand it fully. 

What was the outcome? 

After a few weeks of support, Ethan was able to explain clearly why he wanted unescorted leave to return to work. The doctor granted him leave, and the following week, Ethan became informal and went home with medication he was happy with. The Hospital Managers’ hearing was no longer needed. 

Why was advocacy support so effective? 

Ethan’s Advocate helped him prepare for meetings and create a clear list of what he wanted to say. They also made sure anything unclear was explained properly. This meant Ethan could make informed decisions and have more control over his care. 

*Name changed to protect the people we support.