LETTER: Issues facing disabled people in Brent that require advocacy, information and support

 Dear Editor,

Brent Advocacy Concerns closed down in September 2021 but before we went, we attended the most recent Disability Forum last July, followed by a special meeting in August where we informed the board's consultation about what we felt should be included in their strategy concerning Brent's estimated 50,000 disabled people and elders.

We are pleased that as part of our legacy, the Board have agreed to include 'non -statutory advocacy' within their future commissioning plans (page 30 of the strategy) and hopefully the board will be able to provide services to all those disabled people looking for advocacy, information and support.  Today the main issue facing disabled people in Brent is the 'Cost of Living Crisis', especially the increasing cost of energy, while the following year several thousands of Brent's residents will be looking for advice regarding  the new Social Care plans.

Before Brent Advocacy closed, we had many disabled people requesting our help to enable them or access 'continuing healthcare' and had we remained open, we would have been able to support many more disabled and elders in accessing some of the new social Care  provisions but now there is no one left in Brent able to take this on.

Finally, Brent Advocacy Concerns offered a unique service to Brent's disabled and elders for 33 years, as it was free to everyone who came to us and sometimes a client woul come to us with one issue before we discovered that they had other issues that needed solving. But we always tried to help everyone who came to our office in Willesden and I can honestly say, we never turned anyone away.

Thanks 

 

John Healy.