News: Headlines for the 3rd sector
NEWS
Commons Debate on Mental Health
15/06/2012 14:15:19
A five hour mental health debate took place in the Chamber of the House of Commons, yesterday, led by conservative MP for Loughborough Nicky Morgan. It’s the first time in many years that a main debate has been dedicated solely to mental health. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life and one in six adults has a mental health problem at any one time (1). The North East has one of the highest levels of mental ill health of any English region (2).
During the debate Durham North MP Kevan Jones made reference to the findings from a survey carried out by MHNE into Employment Support Allowance (ESA) fit for work assessments being conducted on behalf of the DWP by ATOS illustrating these points with case studies (also supplied by MHNE) Highlighted the serious levels of stress and the debilitating effects these assessments are having on Mental Health Sufferers
Click HERE for examples from Survey
Click HERE to view podcast of debate
In March 2011, The Coalition Government published its strategy to improve mental health ‘No health without mental health’. It contained six key objectives, including that more people will have good mental health. Yet Government figures show that admissions for mental health treatment rose for the first time in five years in 2010, and again in 2011.
A five hour mental health debate took place in the Chamber of the House of Commons, yesterday, led by conservative MP for Loughborough Nicky Morgan. It’s the first time in many years that a main debate has been dedicated solely to mental health. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life and one in six adults has a mental health problem at any one time (1). The North East has one of the highest levels of mental ill health of any English region (2).
During the debate Durham North MP Kevan Jones with reference to the findings from a survey carried out by MHNE into Employment Support Allowance (ESA) fit for work assessments being conducted on behalf of the DWP by ATOS illustrating these points with case studies (also supplied by MHNE) Highlighted the serious levels of stress and the debilitating effects these assessments are having on Mental Health Sufferers the vast majority of which are being awarded 0 points making them ineligible for benefits and declaring them fit for work. With ATOS making these decisions based purely on the 15 minute (or less in some cases) assessment interview without reference to any supporting medical evidence supplied by the attendees and ignoring any advocate speaking on their behalf (in some cases not allowing the advocate in the room during the assessment) even when these advocates were mental health professionals.( Interestingly these decisions were being overturned on appeal where supporting medical evidence was taken into account however Mr Jones noted that the appeals system was experiencing a backlog with many people having to wait up to a year before an appeal date, causing even more misery and distress.
Mr Jones then pointed out that not only was this causing tremendous distress to Mental Health Sufferers, but was also plunging people into debt as other benefits such as housing benefit were also withdrawn adding the possibility of being made homeless to the emotional turmoil being experienced by one of the most vulnerable groups in society. Thrown into this mix was the fact In addition in the long term due to the adverse effects these assessments and resulting decisions were having on the recovery of mental health sufferers costing more and putting a strain on NHS resources with more people being referred back into the system as a result of a relapse in their condition due to the pressures these assessments were creating
In his closing remarks having spoken during his address about the stigma attached to having a mental health diagnosis Mr Jones very boldly having made the decision (which he openly admitted to having thought long and hard about) spoke about his own experience of having suffered from depression and was then followed by MP Charles Walker who spoke of living with obsessive compulsive disorder., this imbued the debate with a more personal effect.
Click HERE to read article ' MPs reveal mental health issues'
References
1. McManus S, Meltzer H, Brugha T et al. (2009) Adult Psychiatric Morbidity in England, 2007: Results of a household survey. Leeds: NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care.
2. Indications of Public Health in the English Regions 7: Mental Health North East Regional Summary, 2008
Comments (0)