The College has been very active in this
area with a number of projects well under way, including the
launch today of a new film, U Can Cope. We are
involved in a coalition of more than one hundred UK
organisations - from mental health bodies to the Professional
Cricketers’ Association and the Rugby Players' Association - to
spread the message that it is possible to overcome suicidal
thoughts and feelings and that there are many resources available
to help those who are struggling to cope. We also hope
to do some more work directly with YoungMinds in the near
future.
But all these positives do not sit well alongside what is happening
about assessments for benefits for people with mental
illness. We hope we will be able to make more
progress with the new Minister at the Department of Work and
Pensions, Mark Hoban. We have been hearing
about very distressing accounts coming through, from the
feedback on our leaflets for the general public, with requests
for help and about the dreadful impact the removal of benefits
is having on people and their families. They have also
been describing a process that lacks any understanding
of its impact on people with mental illness,
and which in itself becomes abusive.
We are not alone in these concerns. Colleagues at the
Royal College of General Practitioners give similar accounts, as do
CEOs and Chairs of Mental Health Trusts. What an utter tragedy
if the way one government Department acts mitigates against all the
positive work the Department of Health has done working with
professionals and NGOs on suicide
prevention.
This Friday sees the second reading in the Commons of the Mental
Health (Discrimination) Bill, which would repeal three outdated and
discriminatory regulations and send a strong message that stigma
and discrimination on the grounds of mental ill health is not
acceptable.
The Bill aims to:
- Remove the blanket ban that forbids people
who suffer or have suffered from a mental disorder or regularly
attending for treatment undertaking jury service.
- Amend legislation which states that a person
might cease to be a director of a public or private company “by
reason of their mental health”.
- Remove legislation under which an MP
automatically loses their seat if they are sectioned under the
Mental Health Act for more than six months.
As you will know, the College has worked
closely on this Bill and we are proud to be involved in the
campaign to tackle these archaic and unfair rules. The fact that
you can be turned down for jury service, or be removed from your
job as an MP or company director because of mental health problems,
is discriminatory and outdated and I am encouraging everyone to
contact their MP to ensure a message is sent that discrimination on
the grounds of mental health is not acceptable.
Thanks to colleagues that have already written
to your MP urging them to support this Bill, and if you haven’t
seen it already please take some time to watch the short
film that we made with Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.
Subscribe to this post's comments using
RSS