Government plans for Mental Health Act reform: don’t forget to lobby your MP about these if you share NSUN’s concerns
As you will know, NSUN is concerned about the government’s current plans to reform the Mental Health Act. That is because, although the Act clearly needs reform, government plans seem to rest on a continuing dominance of the medical model and on reducing, not ending the use of detentions and compulsory treatment.
NSUN also has concerns about the shortfalls in the recent Mental Health Act survey report from the Mental Health Alliance. You can read NSUN’s full response to the Mental Health Act Survey report here.
NSUN is lobbying for a Mental Health Act which is fully compliant with human rights.
A model letter for MPs is available, electronically and in a hard copy on the campaigns page, together with information about how to use it. Don’t forget to contact your MP with it, if you share NSUN’s concerns about current plans for reforming the Mental Health Act.
It would also be helpful if you make sure that your MP is aware of the very important report which the United Nations Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities sent to the UK government during October, after examining the government earlier this year about its human rights record. You can find it here.
The points and recommendations under Articles 1-4, 12 and 14 are especially relevant to moving beyond purely medical models and to the need to end detentions and compulsory treatment.
Please also contact as many other individuals and organisations as you can and encourage them to lobby MPs and join NSUN’s campaign about Mental Health Act reform.
Please send NSUN information about:
- Contacts you have had with your MP
- Any reply from your MP. (It would be helpful if you can send a copy of this to NSUN at info@nsun.org.uk)
- Any individuals/organisations who have expressed a willingness to join NSUN’s campaign about Mental Health Act reform.