According to a survey commissioned by the Royal College of
Psychiatrists, the UK public do not support proposed laws which
would make it easier to detain and treat people with mental health
problems against their wishes.
The YouGov poll showed that 72 per cent of those surveyed did not
think that people with mental health problems should be forced to
have treatment from which they cannot benefit. And 68 per cent did
not believe that hospitals should be used to detain people with
mental health problems, if they could not benefit from treatment
and had not committed a crime.
The results were released in advance of this week's second reading
of the Mental Health Bill in the House of Commons. The Government
has indicated it intends to force through amendments to the current
Bill. The Bill was heavily defeated in the Lords two months ago
when peers said that doctors would only be allowed to detain
patients if there was a clear therapeutic benefit.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists says that the new amendment
would bring far more people who cannot benefit from treatment
within the scope of mental health legislation and make it more
likely people would be detained and treated inappropriately.
The YouGov poll also showed that the public views are based on
first-hand knowledge of mental health issues. Sixty-three per cent
of those polled knew someone who has suffered from mental health
problems and 88 per cent of those did not believe that these people
presented a risk to the public.
Professor Sheila Hollins, President of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists, said: "The danger in such overtly tough, overly
inclusive legislation is that it will deter people with serious
mental health problems from seeking early help. Without such
treatment they could become a risk to the public, while remaining
unknown to the very people who could help them. It may also make
patients so fearful of incarceration that they may not be open with
us about their symptoms. Thirdly it will be a strain on resources.
If valuable hospital beds are filled with people who can't be
helped then they won't be available for patients who can be
effectively treated."
Norman Lamb, the Lib-Dem health spokesman, declared: "This Bill is
wholly unacceptable. It undermines the civil liberties of people
with mental health problems and it is contrary to the public
interest."
Tory shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley revealed that one in
five mental health beds had been cut since 1997 even though
ministers wanted to detain more patients: "While the number of
people sectioned has hit its highest level in history, the NHS
financial crisis is forcing the closure of mental health beds
throughout the country."
It is likely that the Lib-Dems and the Conservatives will use the
second reading of the Bill in the Commons to force the government
to keep the House of Lords' amendments.
Report says new GP contract
fails patients with depression...
A new report entitled,
"Now We're Talking!", has exposed gaps in the care provided for
people with depression, which could be addressed by improvements to
the current GP contract.
In 2006, Depression Alliance and SANE welcomed the recognition of
depression within the GP contract and called for a broadening of
the contract. The survey results identified many inadequacies in
the diagnosis and management of depression which revisions in the
contract could address, especially for ongoing care.
The report publishes the personal experiences of over 450 people
living with depression and was developed in conjunction with a
multi-disciplinary healthcare professional advisory committee, the
report highlights changes that could be made to the GP contract
would would have a positive impact on all stages of the condition's
management: during diagnosis; at the initiation of treatment; and
during ongoing care.
Emer O'Neill, CEO of Depression Alliance commented: "This survey
shows quite clearly that the GP contract is vital in helping the
millions of people in the UK diagnosed with depression on the road
to recovery. On average, a GP sees one person with depression in
every surgery and changes in the contract will go a long way to
enabling GPs to make real progress tackling this serious mental
illness."
Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of SANE added: "Our evidence
shows that people with depression are waiting up to a year to
receive a diagnosis. The longer a person goes without treatment,
the more entrenched their feelings of hopelessness and despair can
become - suffering which can often be unnecessary as two thirds of
those with the condition can recover. That is why the breakdown in
negotiations between NHS Employers and the General Practitioners
Committee should not influence the early detection of depression
and the provision of counselling, medication or both."
The full report can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.depressionalliance.org/documents/Now-Were-Talking-Report.pdf
Onyx Health is a healthcare communications and PR agency based in the North East of England, but with a national...