Job Description

Independent Mental Health Advocate

Application Deadline: 11 October 2026

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Part Time

Location: Wathwood Hospital (South Yorkshire)

Reporting To: Becky Lilley

Compensation: £27,323.51 per annum pro rata (basic salary) plus £620 per annum pro rata (Geographical allowance)

Description

Part Time – 22.5 hours per work

£27,323.51 per annum pro rata (basic salary) plus £620 per annum pro rata (Geographical allowance)

Are you a qualified Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) or passionate about becoming one?

Do you want to make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients detained under the Mental Health Act within a medium Forensic secure setting?

We are seeking a committed, skilled and compassionate advocate to join our team.

Key Responsibilities

What You Will Do

As an IMHA, you will work directly with individual patients to:

• Provide information, support and representation
• Empower them to participate in decisions about their care, treatment, legal rights and daily life.
• Ensure their views are heard and respected in all relevant processes.
• You will be required to complete all mandatory training and job-related learning activities.
• Please note: This includes annual breakaway and physical disengagement training, which requires a level of physical ability.

If you are driven by compassion, committed to upholding people’s rights and ready to empower individuals at some of the critical moments in their lives, we’d love to hear from you.

How to Apply

• To apply please complete an application via our website www.together-uk.org
• (We only accept applications via our website, not directly through LinkedIn)

Together for Mental Wellbeing is a national charity dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing mental health challenges to live fulfilling and independent lives, with a history dating back to 1879, the organization works with approximately 4,500 individuals each month across 70 locations in England.

By valuing the unique expertise of the people they support, Together ensures services are tailored to individual needs and preferences.

Their wide range of services including Advocacy, community support, accommodation-based programs, and criminal justice services.

• For further details, visit www.together-uk.org

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Experience in supporting vulnerable individuals gained from paid work and/or voluntary and/or life experience
• Understanding of the principals of advocacy
• Understanding of the specific role, purpose and responsibilities of an Independent Mental Health Advocate
• Understanding of discrimination and its effects
• Experience of liaison and negotiation with health and social care professionals
• Competence in the use of email and word processing software
• Demonstrate a non-judgemental attitude
• Ability to be empathetic towards service users and create a safe and trusting environment as well as work in partnership with services users
• Ability to work alongside individuals experiencing mental distress
• Ability to work independently, on own initiative and prioritise workload while working as part of a team
• Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries when working with service users
• Experience of working in an advocacy or care setting (desirable)
• IAQ Level 4 in Independent Mental Health Advocacy (desirable)

Job Benefits