All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health
Joint Chairs: Dr Lynne Jones MP, Tim Loughton MP, Sandra Gidley MP
Secretary: Lord Alderdice
ANNUAL REPORT: 2005/06
Mental health has continued to rise up the political agenda over the past year as
awareness has grown of the many areas of policy that this issue touches. The reform of
incapacity benefit has been a big area of concern for many of the organisations who have
contacted the Group and was the subject of two of the Group’s meetings earlier in
2006. Wellbeing has become something of a buzzword in mental health and represents a shift
towards seeing mental health as a very important component of public health. Lord
Layard’s work on the economic impact of mental illness amongst the workforce and the
importance of happiness in our lives has also raised the profile of mental health.
The long awaited Mental Health Bill is due to be published imminently and was the
subject of the Group’s biggest meeting for some time in January 2006. Lord Carlile
addressed a packed room on his concerns about the Government’s proposals and several
other members of the Joint Committee on the Draft Bill also attended to make their views
heard. In May 2006, Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP addressed the Group to respond to some of
these concerns but it seems likely the Bill will received a mixed response when it is
finally published. The Group will shortly be producing a guide to mental health
legislation and issues that need addressing.
Review of the Year
March 2005
The Group met to discuss the effect of cannabis use on mental health in light of
worrying studies linking cannabis to the onset of schizophrenia and also to discuss what
effect reclassification had had. Marcus Roberts from Drugscope said that his organisation
was supportive of the reclassification but recognised that many users were unaware of any
risks associated with cannabis and there needed to be public education in this area.
Professor Robin Murray spoke about a series of studies published since reclassification
which show a link between cannabis use amongst the young and the development of mental
health problems. John Foxwell spoke about his son who developed schizophrenia following
heavy cannabis use and the huge impact this had had on the family.
July 2005 AGM
The AGM was held in July 2005 and the officers were re-elected, the main meeting was
postponed due to the London bombings.
November 2005
In November the Group met jointly with the Ageing and Older People APPG to discuss
whether older people are facing difficulties receiving the mental healthcare and treatment
they need. The Group was addressed by a Dr Jane Garner, Sophie Corlett from Mind and a
group of service users and carers who spoke about their own experiences. The meeting heard
convincing evidence that services for older people are under-resourced and about worries
that NICE would be changing its recommendation on dementia drugs (acetylcholinesterase
inhibitors).
January 2006
In January 2006 the Group met jointly with the APPGs on Ageing & Older People,
Autism, Carers, Children, Disability, Drugs Misuse, Associate Parliamentary Health Group,
Learning Disability, Primary Care & Public Health and Prison Health to discuss the
reform of the Mental Health Act. The Group was addressed by Lord Carlile, Professor Sheila
Hollins, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Liz Main who spoke from
personal experience of compulsory treatment. Lord Carlile outlined the main concerns held
by the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill including the removal of the
so-called “treatability” clause which will mean people can be detained without
receiving any benefit to their health. He also spoke about the extension of the use of
compulsion into the community. The other speakers, as well as contributors from the floor,
also expressed their concerns about the breadth of the proposals and the increase in
stigma that may occur if the focus of the legislation continues to link mental illness to
dangerousness.
March 2006
In March 2006 speakers from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Citizens’
Advice spoke about the reform of incapacity benefit and the need for the system to be
better able to address the needs of those out of work due to mental health problems. They
highlighted that the medical assessment for the benefit is often unsatisfactory and the
appeal process is lengthy. People with mental health problems also need more support when
re-entering the field of work and employers need to do more to combat discrimination in
the workplace.
April 2006
In April the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon John Hutton MP, came to
address the concerns expressed at the previous meeting. He said that the Government was
aware that the system had not been working well but that he was confident that the welfare
reforms coupled with the reform of the medical assessment process would be positive for
those with mental health problems. He pointed to the successful pilots of Pathways which
had given many people the level of support needed to return to work successfully.
May 2006
Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP addressed the Group in May to respond to concerns raised at
the January meeting about the reform of the Mental Health Act. She was joined on the
platform by Cliff Prior, Chief
Executive of Rethink, a core member of the Mental Health Alliance. The Minister outlined
why the Draft Mental Health Bill had been dropped and what the new proposals for amending
the 1983 Act were.
She said that the old Bill had been abandoned following pressure from the mental health
field and that this also meant that advocacy and the new tribunal system had been lost,
though advocacy may be pursued outside of the legislation. Cliff Prior said that service
users, carers and professionals remained deeply concerned that the new proposals would
increase the use of compulsion and that this would have a very negative effect on the
whole of the mental health service. Mr Prior also spoke about the need for a thorough Race
Equality Impact Assessment on the whole Act and amendments to address the over use of
compulsory treatment for young black men. Baroness Murphy raised points from the Joint
Committee’s report and emphasised that the Committee had not been happy with the
Draft Bill and expressed concern that many of the proposals remained largely unchanged.
June 2006
During Men’s Health Week the Group met jointly with the Men’s Health APPG to
discuss men’s mental health. There was a lively discussion of the reasons that lead
to men’s mental health problems and why many men find it hard to ask for help. The
Men’s Health Forum suggested that mental health policy take particular note of
men’s needs when delivering services and produce more public education materials
aimed at men. Attendees also raised concerns about the number of black men in the mental
health system and the lack of tailored care they receive.
Conclusions
1. The Group remains concerned about the proposed reform of the Mental Health Act and
feels that the points raised by the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill should
have been taken more seriously by Government. Members of the Group will continue to take
an active interest in the amending Bill as it passes through Parliament.
2. The Group is particularly concerned about the number of young black men who are
detained under the Mental Health Act and calls on the Government to take steps to address
this through the reform of the Act and through tackling discrimination in the health
service more widely.
3. The Group recognises that people with mental health problems require a lot of
support in moving off benefits to finding and securing employment but also that people
need financial security when they are unable to work due to illness. The Group welcomes
the Government’s recognition that the system isn’t working well for those that
have mental health problems but would not support the use of sanctions to force vulnerable
people into work that may be unsuitable.
4. The Group is concerned about the evidence it has heard linking cannabis use amongst
the young to the development of schizophrenia and calls on the Government to provide
better information for the public about the risks associated with this drug.
5. Older people face discrimination when accessing many goods and services and in
healthcare this is particularly damaging and unacceptable. Older people deserve the same
standard of care and treatment received by younger people and should not be discriminated
against in access to drug treatments. The beneficial effect on reducing the burden on
carers should be included in the NICE assessment of acetylcholinesterase drugs.
Future events
Group Visit on 31st October 2006
The Group will be visiting mental health facilities in London on the morning of Tuesday
31st October 2006. Any members wishing to attend should contact the Group’s
Secretariat ASAP. The tour will give members an opportunity to view mental health front
line services,
talk to staff and patients and hear directly from the Chief Executives of the Mental
Health Trusts locally, about some of the challenges they face.
Mental Health in Prisons
Meeting to discuss Prison Mental Health: the Group is meeting at 5pm on Tuesday 5th
December with the Penal Affairs APPG.
Contacting the Group
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health aims to enable Members of both
Houses of Parliament and other interested groups to become better informed about mental
health issues. The Royal College of Psychiatrists provides the secretarial support for the
All Party Group with input from Mind, Rethink, Together and the British Psychological
Society. If you would like further details please contact:
Agnes Wheatcroft
Parliamentary and Policy Officer
The Royal College of Psychiatrists
17 Belgrave Square,
London SW1X 8PG
Tel: 020 7235 2351 x149
Email: awheatcroft@rcpsych.ac.uk
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