Letter published in the Herald 28 January 2003
Please listen to the users and carers
As a group of leading mental health organisations we have concerns about the passage of the Mental Health Bill through Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament. The vast majority of amendments supported by outside organisations have so far been rejected by the Health and Community Care Committee. These amendments were aiming to ensure that the rights of mental health service users and carers are fully protected under the bill.
There is a real danger that we will be left with a piece of legislation unable to command support from the mental health community, and, in particular, from people who use services.
A number of important amendments are still to be considered, including special treatments (such as ECT and neurosurgery for mental disorder), and advance statements. We appeal to committee members to give thoughtful consideration to these amendments, which are designed to improve the bill and ensure its credibility with all sections of the mental health community.
The new bill must get the balance right between powers of compulsion and rights of service users and those who support them. Failure could deter people from accessing services altogether, an outcome nobody wants.
(Signed) Shona Barcus, Scottish Association for Mental Health;
Mark Ramm, British Psychological Society (Scottish Division); Chris O'Sullivan, Manic Depression Fellowship Scotland; Laurence Wilson, Mental Health Network; Maddy Halliday, Mental Health Foundation; Ilena Brown, Depression Alliance; Nigel Henderson, Penumbra; Mary Weir, National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland).
