Mental Health Campaigning
Mental Health Rally- January 31st
Mental Health Candlelight Vigil- February 2nd
We need you to come & campaign with us on January 31st in London. The Draft Mental Health Bill is at a crucial stage in the parliamentary scrutiny process. The draft bill as it stands threatens the rights of people with mental health problems, & could massively overstretch mental health services. A rally has been organised by the Mental Health Alliance & the NUS SWD Campaign is supporting it. It is an opportunity for you to make your voice heard. The lobby is open to all grass-roots supporters of the Mental Health Alliance: service users, carers, concerned professionals, & anyone else who wants to contribute to the debate & show their support for our campaign for better mental health legislation. To join the rally go to www.mentalhealthalliance.org.uk.
But that is not all. Take part in Mind’s vigil on the draft Mental Health Bill on Wednesday 2 February from 3-6pm.
On 2 February 2005, the Joint Committee that is currently scrutinising the new draft Mental Health Bill is taking its final day of evidence. It will produce a report making recommendations for changes to the Bill by the end of March 2005. The Government is obliged to a public response to these recommendations.
Mind wants to ensure that all MPs are aware of the concerns of service users about the Bill at this critical time.
Join MIND in Parliament Square, opposite the House of Commons, on Wednesday 2 February from 3-6pm for a vigil to show service users concerns about the draft Bill. Mind will be able to contribute to peoples’ travel expenses to attend. Numbers will be limited, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Mind’s Campaigns Unit on 020 8215 2424 or email action@mind.org.uk
We as a national Union must campaign to try and change this bill that will impact upon so many of our students. You can also write to your MP. All MPs can be contacted at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. You can also telephone them on 020 7219 3000 then ask to be put through to their office. Use www.locata.co.uk/commons to find out who your MP is. Here is an example of a letter/ email that you could send your MP.
Dear (insert name of MP),
I am writing to you as my MP as I am deeply concerned about the draft Mental Health Bill. If it goes through, the Bill will create new powers to detain people indefinitely simply on the basis of a diagnosis and a risk assessment.
The Bill would also introduce compulsory treatment in the community for people with mental health problems. Extending compulsion beyond the limited environments where it can work will increase the number of people subjected to treatment against their will, and drive people away from the mental health services that should be helping them.
I hope that you will work with people like the NUS Students With Disabilities Campaign and the Mental Health alliance to improve the Draft mental health bill, and help to create new legalisation that reflects society’s deeper understanding of mental health and the vastly improved opportunities for inclusion and recovery.
Yours Sincerely,
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