Autonomy is
The Right to Self-Directing Freedom and Moral Independence
Welcome to The Autonomy Hotline! Our vision is to provide low cost legal advice and practical support for patients and parents across the UK who find themselves in a disagreement with a health or social care professional, and need a point of contact for support and advice. We have supported patients and parents with concerns about care facilities, social services referrals, family court, and hospital treatment, to name a few! The hotline is manned by a team of volunteers who have some experience of advocacy, patient care, family law or counselling. We believe that good patient care involves challenging professional systems, protecting human rights, family unity, and individual autonomy.
Covid-19 and Mandatory Treatment
Whether you are finding coercive pressure to take a test or vaccine, or whether you are facing difficulties getting the care and treatment you want, our team can help guide you with information and support to ensure your voice is heard.
Maternity Care and Young Families
Engagement with health care professionals or other agencies can be a nerve-wracking experience. If you wish to say ‘no’ to treatments and tests, or you are concerned you need more support, then information about what you can do can be found here.
Family Law and Social Care
When you’re faced with social workers or court proceedings, it is hard to understand what is needed. We can provide a ‘peer parent’ advocate to walk the legal jargon with you, to make it easier to face the challenge and hopefully work to a positive conclusion.
McKenzie Friend Service
We offer a unique service for those going through court cases in either family law, medical law or the Court of Protection. McKenzie Friends have some knowledge of how court functions and can help guide you through the process, offering suggestions and support through what is a severely traumatic time for many people. McKenzie Friends are unqualified, and you will remain a litigant-in-person, but some of our team have experience of going through court and can empathise with the situation you find yourself in. for people that cannot afford solicitors fees and are not entitled to legal aid, McKenzie Friends offers a solution which does not leave you alone in court.
Teens and Children
What are the rights of young people and children? Do they get a voice in their social care situation? Can they refuse medical treatment? What is the court looking for when it makes decisions on behalf of a child?
If you are a young person facing a difficult decision in social care, or maybe you are facing medical treatment and would like some support, please do get in touch with us and a member of our team will be happy to discuss your case.
We are looking for volunteers!
Click here for information…