A new study carried out in England by the Healthcare Commission and the Royal College of Psychiatrists has shown that up to one in three inpatient service users have experienced violent or threatening behaviour while in care…
Will New Benefits System be Fair on Mental Illness?
It’s official – the Incapacity Benefits system is about to be overhauled. In the Queen’s Speech last week it was announced that a Bill will be introduced to establish a new Incapacity Benefits system – a system that will “facilitate a return to employment, while offering long-term support for those unable to work”.
Health Minister Publishes New Patient Experience Standards
This week Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons has outlined how, from 1 June, new standards will be expected of the NHS in Wales. The 32 standards, which cover aspects from quality of treatment to reduction of healthcare associated infections, aim to ensure a consistent level of care across the country…
Disability Discrimination Act welcomed – but with reservations
Mental health charities have welcomed the enacting of the Disability Discrimination Act this month, but have criticised the Government for missing an opportunity to extend employment protection to people who have experienced depression…
Mental health ignored in election manifestos
Despite health’s high profile in the 2005 General Election campaigns there are no specific mental health policies in any of the three main UK political parties’ election manifestos…
Mental Capacity Act 2005: Your Questions Answered
Last week the Mental Capacity Bill received Royal Assent. Here we answer your questions about the new Act…
Time for a Redraft say Protestors at Mental Health Rally
A Mental Health Rally that took place in Cardiff last week saw members of leading mental health organisations, service users and carers from across Wales urging the Government to take heed of the Joint Parliamentary Committee Report on the draft Mental Health Bill – and scrap it…
Treat Depression with Exercise, Report Urges
A new report published by the Mental Health Foundation says GPs should be offering exercise on prescription to all patients with depression.
The report finds that a supervised programme of exercise on prescription can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild or moderate depression – but that GPs are still turning to antidepressants as their first-line treatment due to a perceived lack of available alternatives. Many of the GPs surveyed for the report do not believe exercise is an effective treatment, despite advice from the Chief Medical Officer as well as a substantial weight of evidence…
Interview: Matthew Butcher
Matthew Butcher is a former service user with experience of being sectioned against his will and of battling against the decisions of his doctors. Now a Trustee of mental health charity Hafal, we talk to him about his personal experience of illness and his aims in his new role…
Joint Committee Report on Draft Mental Health Bill published
The Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill has today published its report on the Draft Mental Health Bill.
Key findings are:
the Bill should proceed – but only with significant amendments
there’s too much focus placed on protecting the public from a small minority of people with a mental illness
the powers granted in the current Draft could potentially be used as the equivalent of a mental health ASBO – enforcing treatment on people who might only be a ‘nuisance’
compulsory treatment should be used only where there is no other alternative and where it has therapeutic benefit
people who can’t benefit from treatment should be dealt with by separate legislation (for example people with an untreatable “personality disorder”)
treatment in the community should be more restricted than under current proposals
there should be reciprocal rights to treatment including the right to assessment
the law should play a part in improving services and combating stigma
fundamental principles should be set out at the start of the Bill.