Mental Health Bill
Posted by Claire Ward, MP for Watford, at 16:50, Thu 10 May 2007:
As part of my role as government whip with special responsibility for health, I am currently taking the Mental Health Bill through committee stage in the House of Commons. This piece of legislation aims to modernise the way in which we care for the mentally ill, as Labour promised in its 2005 Manifesto.
Each year 1,330 people in contact with the mental health services commit suicide. This is unacceptably high. Furthermore mental health patients commit around 50 homicides as year. Right now there are many people who are not getting the appropriate care and being wrongly turned away from the mental health service. I believe the Bill will help change that.
We need to find the right balance between respecting patients’ rights and public safety and the government has proposed a number of measures which it hopes will achieve this –
• The introduction of supervised community treatment will help patients to be treated without being admitted to hospital.
• Getting rid of “treatability test”. This test is stipulated by the 1983 Mental Health Act, stating that clinicians must only detain a patient if they predict that that patient can be treated. This has often been misinterpreted as cured and has led to those who need help not receiving it, particularly those with personality disorders.
• Broaden the range of professionals who can take key roles in the Mental Health Act for example community psychiatric nurses.
• Create a simplified single definition of mental disorder which will make the legislation easier to use and focus on clinical need not on arbitrary categories.
I know that many have concerns about the issue of detention. The government has proposed safeguards which state that to be detained an individual must suffer from a mental disorder as defined by the Act and detention must be needed for the patient’s health and for the safety of others. All individuals will have a right of appeal to the Mental Health Review Tribunal
Mental health is a delicate and important area and I would very much like to know what my constituents think about this issue.
On another note, you might also like to look at my website which can be found at – http://www.claire-ward.org.uk/
Comments
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Posted by Karen Turturici, 18:27, Thu 10 May 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
im pleased that claire ward has done this for the patients that is good. I would of liked more work thou put into saving our MS nurses who are very important to us MS patients. thank you .
Posted by John Loveridge, 19:37, Thu 10 May 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
I am broadly in favour of the changes outlined in your email.
John Loveridge
Posted by Karen Turturici, 11:47, Fri 11 May 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
was the email in favour of saving MS nurses ?
Posted by James Heaver, 12:36, Fri 11 May 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
I agree with the goals of the bill. Although there are huge potential dangers in a bill of this kind it is good to see that they are being taken seriously.
I do, however, think that a bill of this nature has to go hand-in-hand with better mental health provision across the board. Mental Health is, because of society's perception of it, still not properly funded or provided for.
People shouldn't have to reach crisis point to recieve proper mental health care and support.