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Parliament is about to start the first debate on the Mental Health Act in over 18 months, led by @coyleneil – we’ll be live-tweeting it below ↓↓↓
parliamentlive.tv/Commons
parliamentlive.tv/Commons
@coyleneil .@coyleneil begins by explaining what the Act is. If you don’t already know, the Mental Health Act allows for someone to be detained and treated for a mental illness without their consent. We’ve heard time and time again that the Act is out of date and not fit for purpose.
@coyleneil .@coyleneil has started by talking about his mum, who has schizophrenia, and how she has been detained multiple times under the Act
@coyleneil Neil discussed how difficult circumstances were when his mum was unwell, but added that 'this may sound strange or scary to some, but this was my normal... it helped build resilience and empathy.' He went on to add that it has helped him to support his constituents.
@coyleneil Did you know that last year there were nearly 50,000 detentions under the Act? We’ve seen an increase of 47% in the last decade, but we know that the number of people with an SMI have remained roughly the same.
It’s not just that the number of people being detained is going up, we’ve also done research into people’s experiences of being detained.
We found that 49% of people felt that those treated under the Act aren’t treated with dignity. You can read some more of the research here. bit.ly/2XYdovv
.@coyleneil now begins by outlining the four principles of the Mental Health Act: choice and autonomy, least restriction, therapeutic benefit, and people as individuals.
@coyleneil Neil is now talking about how important it is to support a person in a crisis. He reflects on the last time his mum was detained under the Act after a traffic accident. She spoke about how she couldn't have done anything wrong as she had 'worn blue that day'
@coyleneil He discussed how his family had tried to get support, but they were not able to get any. It's important that when someone does become unwell they can receive the right support in a timely manner to try and prevent a person from becoming more unwell.
@coyleneil 'People's experiences under the Act vary... we need more standardised access to care, and the care itself... even when it is necessary to detain someone under the Act, it must be done better' - @coyleneil
@coyleneil He goes on to discuss the importance of being able to decide the treatment you receive, such as his mum being able to decide what medication works for her. He then discusses the importance of reforming the Nearest Relative.
@coyleneil 'The White Paper that has been promised must be delivered... it's not just about better delivering better legislation, but better treatment for the thousands of people across the country who are affected by the Act'
@coyleneil Julian Lewis MP thanks @coyleneil for his moving speech and agrees that this is a crucial debate for Parliament. He now discusses the shortage of inpatient beds in acute units and mental health services in his area.
@coyleneil People with learning disabilities and autism are also affected by the Mental Health Act. MPs are discussing how a person with LDAs often experience treatment far away from home, with interventions used on them such as restraint and seclusion.
@coyleneil Now for @JohnnyMercerUK, Chair of the APPG on Mental Health. He thanks @coyleneil and adds 'some of the best days in this place are when you hear people's stories'. He goes on to talk about his own experience of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
@coyleneil @JohnnyMercerUK He talks about the APPG event a few weeks ago on the Mental Health Act, where @WesselyS spoke about the Independent Review process and why change is important.
@coyleneil @JohnnyMercerUK @WesselyS Johnny now discusses the story of Georgi Lopez, one of our campaigners at Rethink. 'It is these stories that we must keep in mind when we are discussing the legislation'.
@coyleneil @JohnnyMercerUK @WesselyS Georgi was detained under the Act aged 17 when she was receiving treatment for an eating disorder. Johnny highlights her lack of power and loss of control over her treatment and decisions in her care.
@coyleneil @JohnnyMercerUK @WesselyS Georgi also experience better treatment: she had choice and autonomy 'which she owes her life, health and happiness to'. She is now an aspiring psychiatrist. It is possible to deliver better care and better treatment for people who do need to be detained under the Act.
@coyleneil @JohnnyMercerUK @WesselyS .@JohnnyMercerUK concludes by welcoming the promise of a White Paper and calls for the new Government to show leadership on this important issue.
