Community Care Advice
Get help and advice about problems with Health and Social Services in Bristol and Avon
We may be able to help if you have problems with services provided in any of these areas:
- Support at home with everyday tasks or getting out and about
- Disability aids, adaptations, services and facilities
- Mental Health Care in the community
- NHS Continuing Care and Hospital Discharge procedure
- Younger or older people's care services, accommodation and care charging
- Care and support for Learning Disabilities
- Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
- Drug and Alcohol abuse
- Advice and support for carers
Avon & Bristol Law Centre provides specialist advice, casework and representation in all these situations. From NHS primary care and GP services to care and support from the local authority; from disability rights to assistance for carers with care and support.
If you, or people you care for, have difficulty accessing these services, we can advise you on how to take the first steps to obtain the help you need. This may be to help find your way round the health and social care system, or question a decision you think is wrong.
As we also act for people on welfare benefits, housing, debt and mental health issues, we can help to disentangle complicated problems that often involve many of these areas, and help you clarify your rights and how to protect them.
We can also provide training for other agencies and community groups on community care issues.
Our service covers Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
How to contact us
Download and complete our referral form, and return it by fax, post or email:
Referral form - word formatReferral form - pdf format
Or contact Avon & Bristol Law Centre in confidence.
- Ray Avards: 0117 916 7720
Email: raya@ablc.org.uk - Jo Newth: 0117 916 7705
Email: jon@ablc.org.uk - Ange Stracey: 0117 916 7714
Email: anges@ablc.org.uk
| Reception: | 0117 9248662 |
| Fax: | 0117 9248020 |
| Minicom: | 0117 9245573 |
| EMail: | mail@ablc.org.uk |
Other useful websites
Please note that we cannot vouch for the content of these external websites.
Direct Gov. This website provides an introduction to legal aid and contains information about how to get help or find an adviser.
The Care Forum (TCF). An umbrella organisation for voluntary organisations working in health and social care. It works in the area covered by Avon Health Authority and the unitary authorities of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The Care Forum also delivers direct services in providing information for disabled people and support for people making complaints against Social Services.
MIND. The national MIND website which includes on-line information materials and details of local MIND associations.
NHS. The National Health Service website which provides information about national and local services and has links to other useful websites.
RADAR. The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation is a national organisation of, and for, disabled people. Its key areas of activity are: supporting over 500 local and national disability organisations, campaigning for improvements in disabled people's lives, and providing information to support independence and equality for disabled people.
Age UK. Includes factsheets which can be downloaded from the website. You can also get details of local Age UK branches. If you live in Bristol there is also a website for Bristol Age UK.