Advocacy in Action: Patient-Centredness, Rights, and Social Transformation

In modern healthcare and social policy, patient-centred advocacy is more than a support system—it is a manifesto for dignity, agency, and justice. At its core, patient-centred advocacy empowers individuals to actively participate in their own care, ensuring their voices shape research, treatment, and systemic service delivery. This advocacy recognizes patients as partners, not bystanders, championing their right to informed choice, cultural respect, and holistic well-being.

This vision aligns closely with the rights of citizens and the expansion of participatory advocacy. As citizens, patients are entitled to transparency, fair representation, non-discrimination, and engagement in shaping policies that affect their health and lives. Participatory advocacy embodies this by organizing collective action - amplifying individual experiences into a powerful chorus for legislative, regulatory, and structural change.

Transformative advocacy arises when such efforts move beyond improving individual care to actively dismantle barriers embedded in systems. By connecting personal stories to policy reform, and confronting health inequities, transformative advocacy forges a healthcare landscape where responsiveness, equity, and co-creation are the guiding principles.

Finally, social justice advocacy grounds these movements in a broader mission: ensuring every person, regardless of background or status, can claim their right to accessible, compassionate care. Here, patient advocates champion not only the unique needs of individuals but also the urgent, collective call for equitable treatment and systemic fairness.

As these advocacy types intersect, they create a dynamic force for change - one that respects individual needs, upholds fundamental rights, and drives the continual evolution of a more just, participatory, and patient-centred society.

References:

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• Kanagasingam D, Hurd L, Norman M. Integrating person-centred care and social justice: a model for practice with larger-bodied patients. Medical Humanities 2023;49:436-446.

• Soilis N, Kinsella EA, Eppich W, Cheng A, Beavers L, Bhanji F. PEARLS debriefing for social justice and equity: integrating health advocacy in simulation-based education. Adv Simul (Lond). 2024 Dec 18;9(1):47.

• Furlong, P., Franson, T.R. & Pitts, P.J. Transforming Objective Participatory Patient Advocacy. Ther Innov Regul Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43441-025-00841-8.

• Verma, I.C., El-Beshlawy, A., Tylki-Szymańska, A. et al. Transformative effect of a Humanitarian Program for individuals affected by rare diseases: building support systems and creating local expertise. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2022, 17, 87. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-022-02192-1