Having trouble getting yourself heard?

What is ESAN?

ESAN provides an advocacy service for people with mental health problems in Suffolk and has offices in three locations:

• Ipswich for East Suffolk
• Bury St Edmunds for West Suffolk
• Lowestoft for Waveney

ESAN believes that people with mental health problems should be able to make the same choices as anyone else about things that matter to them. We also believe they have a right to know what is happening to them, and why. Our aim is to help people whenever they feel their views are not being heard.

What is Advocacy?

Some people find it difficult to speak up for themselves and ask the questions they want to. Those who provide services are sometimes unable or unwilling to hear what people are saying to them.

Advocacy is a way of supporting people by helping them put their views forward and ask their own questions.

How does ESAN help?

We are an independent organisation and offer a free and confidential service. These are some of the ways we can help:

• We can help you to prepare for a meeting with your consultant or social worker, by working with you to sort out questions you want to ask about whatever is concerning you
• We can come with you to an appointment, or a case conference, or a mental health tribunal, to make sure you have your say
• We can help you write a letter, or write one on your behalf - for example, to a solicitor or a housing office
• We can support you when relationships with family or friends become difficult
• We can help you find out about medication - for example, side effects and alternative treatments
• We can help you to make an official complaint if you think that a service provider has let you down

We don't give advice, particularly in areas of finance and benefits. But if this is what you need, we will direct you to those who provide it - like the Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Disabled Advice Bureau.