The Compass Disability Network is a Network of disabled people, their carers and organisations that represent disabled people, which works to improve access and inclusion to services and facilities.

Members have an opportunity to give their views on a range of issues that are important to them by attending consultation events, discussion groups and forums or completing questionnaires. Views are fed back to organisations and agencies that develop services such as local authorities and health services.

It’s free to join and members can participate as much or as little as they like. You can participate in meetings and events or just receive our quarterly magazine The Networker to find out what’s going on in the Network. Being part of the Network is a great way to meet other people in a similar situation.

For further information or to join, visit their website or contact Compass by telephone on the number below.

We are an independent charity offering the support of long term volunteer mentors to vulnerable young people in Somerset.  PROMISEworks matches young people between the ages of 5 and 25.  Referral criteria include: Offending behaviour, Mental Health Issues, Substance Misuse, Domestic Abuse, Leaving Care, Adoption Support, CSE Risk, Exclusion from School, Disabilities.

If you are a child in care you could ask for an advocate if you are worried or upset about something, or if things are changing for you – perhaps you are moving placements or going to a new school. You could also have an advocate come with you to your review or other meetings about you. Advocates can also help you if you want make a complaint or resolve an issue.

Seeking to provide access to specialist advice, advocacy and casework under Community Care Legislation in Somerset, get legal advice about the NHS, Social Services and Disability Rights. Ensuring that the most vulnerable people in our society do not suffer through lack of information or advice about their rights to Community Care under the Law. Working with multidisciplinary partners to achieve the best possible outcomes for people, we aim to help build a healthy, informed and caring community.

This service is here to help when you need advice, have concerns or don’t know where to turn. As a patient, relative or carer, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice and support. This is where the Patient Advice and Liaison Service can help. This service is free and confidential. Our aim is to help sort out any problems or concerns you may have when using health services, agree the best way forward to deal with a problem and get it resolved as quickly as possible. We will do this by: offering advice and support to patients, their families and carers, providing information on NHS services, listening and responding to concerns, suggestions or queries, talking to staff, management and other organisations on your behalf, helping sort problems quickly on your behalf. Write to us: NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, Freepost RRKL-XKSC-ACSG, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8HR or use the on line form at our website.

The Health Complaints Advocacy Service can support you with your NHS complaint. An experienced worker, known as an advocate, can help and support you to make your complaint.

Swan will be delivering all types of advocacy for Somerset through a single point of contact; these advocacy services were previously provided by Somerset Council through four separate advocacy providers.  This new, comprehensive model of advocacy support ‘all under one roof’ will enable Swan to deliver the ‘Person Centred Approach,’ and will further meet the new requirements under the Care Act, which came into force of April this year. Under the new requirements Local Councils are required to provide an independent advocate to support an individual who is subject to care practices and is finding it difficult to understand the care process, or to speak up for themselves, and who does not have an appropriate person to help them.