We are very pleased to see the reform of the Mental Health Act, a piece of legislation introduced in 1983, was announced yesterday in the King’s Speech.
The Act was created with the aim of keeping people safe during a mental health crisis, but in reality means people are detained, often against their will, and forced to accept treatment that denies them choice and affects their dignity.
The organisations who have been at the centre of lobbying for reform are cautiously welcoming this news, and rightly so – it has been a long campaign.
The Mental Health Alliance – a group of over 65 organizations – was originally formed in 2000 to push for reform, achieving partial success in 2007, although the changes were controversial including the introduction of Community Treatment Orders (CTOs).
However, the alliance has continued to relentlessly demand a human rights–focused Act because the current legislation is still outdated and can be discriminatory in its application.
There was an independent review reporting in 2018 and few things have united the mental health sector more than demands for changes to the Act.
We know the people who work with us feel passionate about operating within a framework that is human rights focused, with social justice at the centre of mental health support and treatment.
The campaign must now continue at this critical juncture, as getting the reforms that people with mental health issues – alongside their families and carers and those working in mental health – want will still take negotiation and time.
NSUN, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists, and Centre for Mental Health are a few of the leading organisations who will be working closely with the new government to deliver a fit for purpose law.
It felt fitting to actually be at Rethink Mental Illness for a round table meeting about clinical research when the King’s Speech was delivered – overlooking the Houses of Parliament! – because of the leading role Rethink and its members have played in demonstrating why reform is so fundamental (see, for example, research from 2017).
At McPin, we know that the people who work with us feel passionate about operating within a framework that is human rights focused, with social justice at the centre of mental health support and treatment.
Reform of the Mental Health Act is long overdue. The current situation is that people who live with mental health conditions are not given enough agency and autonomy.
Senior Public Involvement in Research Officer Alex Kenny
Senior Public Involvement in Research Officer Alex Kenny said:
“Reform of the Mental Health Act is long overdue. The current situation is that people who live with mental health conditions are not given enough agency and autonomy.
“They do not have enough say in how they are treated, with limited scope for choosing treatment and appealing against decisions made about them.
“Inequalities mean there is racial disparity. There is also lack of access to services and care provision for those who are unwell and need to be treated and cared for with dignity and respect.
“Choosing to write a legally binding Advance Choice Directive is one way for people to reclaim their power by stating when they are well, how they would like to be treated if they become unwell again.”
People want choice over their care, and to be involved in shared decision making, and there are good tools that can be built into the new legislation co-created by experts by experience such as advance choice documents.
We will be watching carefully and looking at ways to get involved in shaping this new Act quickly – people have waited far too long already for change.
