Campaign for a Better Mental Health Act
As a key member of the Mental Health Alliance campaign group, NUS would like to get its members actively involved in campaigning against the proposed Mental Health Bill. This Bill, which is expected to come before Parliament at some point during 2006, aims to significantly expand existing powers to detain people with mental health problems. We fear that this will disregard the rights and wellbeing of people with mental distress, and will force too many people into compulsory treatment. In addition, this Bill sends out the wrong message, that people with mental health problems are a danger to society. One in four of the population experience mental health problems during their lifetime, and it is unethical and damaging to base the law on tragic and isolated cases where a patient has proved dangerous. We firmly believe that the Government should be aiming to widen understanding of mental illness, rather than stigmatizing it further with this Bill.
For further information on the campaign, please go to www.mentalhealthalliance.org
What You Can Do
Sign the Petition
The Mental Health Alliance is collecting signatures to a petition which it will present to the Government when the Bill reaches Parliament. You can download a copy of the petition here. Please gather as many signatures as you can, and send to the address printed at the bottom.
Write to your MP
The Mental Health Alliance has tabled an Early Day Motion which MP’s can sign to show their opposition to the Mental Health Bill. You can use the link below to access a standard letter which you can send to your MP, urging them to sign this EDM.
Host a Meeting
If you have any mental health events coming up, the Mental Health Alliance can help you arrange a meeting on the Mental Health Act which could form part of your day. The Mental Health Alliance can offer:
- a speaker to represent the MHA
- information documents setting out MHA policy
- standard invite letter to encourage interested parties to attend
- standard release to send to the media
- advice on format of the meeting
- resolution/letter for attendees to sign up to
- voting slips for attendees to judge the Government’s proposals
Please contact our Public Affairs Officer, Karen Williams, at 0871 221 8222 or karen.williams@nus.org.uk to arrange.
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