All Party Parliamentary Group for Mental Health

Notes of meeting: November 2002

Tuesday 26^th November 2002

AGM followed by Speakers from Hyphen-21

Members present: Dr Lynne Jones MP, Sandra Gidley MP, Stephen Hesford MP, Earl Listowel

In attendance: Martin Aaron (JAMI), Syed Athar (South Westminster User Involvement Group), Martin Ball (MACA), D. Charlton (University of Birmingham), Margaret Edwards (SANE), Barti Fleming (North Westminster Forum), Justin Grabelle (for Virginia Bottomley MP), Judith Hicks (DWP), Peter Kinderman (British Psychological Society), Helen Lord (Lilly), Valerie Michaels (North Westminster Forum), Ana Padilla (British Psychological Society), Redmond Curram (North Westminster Forum), John Ricketts (Lilly), Tom Thorpe (Parkinson’s Disease Society), Agnes Wheatcroft (Royal College of Psychiatrists), Lucy Widenka (Rethink), Dr Morris Zwi (Royal College of Psychiatrists)

AGM

Lynne Jones MP introduced the meeting and drew everyone’s attention to the Annual Review of the Group’s activity. She reported that ideas for future meetings were being developed and that the Group was liaising with the Department of Health on the long-awaited Barriers to Benefits seminar. The idea of visiting a secure hospital had been suggested and Lynne Jones encouraged anyone who was interested to inform Agnes Wheatcroft. Dr Jones said that she had met Cygnet Healthcare and that a visit could be arranged with them.

Results of the AGM:

Joint Chairs re-elected: Dr Lynne Jones MP, Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP, Sandra Gidley MP

Secretary re-elected: Lord Alderdice

Hyphen-21: Code of Conduct

Speakers:

Rogan Wolf, Pat Kapellar & Robin Hanau, Hyphen-21

Rogan Wolf introduced Hyphen-21 saying it was a small charity which he had founded to promote good practice in the care of people with mental illness. He said that their work included distributing poems for patients. He works as a user support worker in Westminster, Pat Kapellar works in South Westminster and Robin Hanau in North Westminster. They presented to the Group the Code of Conduct they have developed to improve the relationship between mental health professionals and users.

Mr Wolf said that Hyphen-21 developed the code of conduct with user groups to make sure that users were treated in a respectful manner. Pat Kapellar then presented two case studies using the stories of Jill and Jane to illustrate how people with mental illness can feel intimidated and threatened by a ward round. She said these individuals had felt they were being talked about and interrogated and were not made to feel comfortable. She reported that these sort of experiences had prompted the development of the code of conduct and that professionals, though uncertain at first, had worked with them. She said that the code was now adopted as policy in parts of North London and that Hyphen-21 hopes it will become normal policy across the country.

Robin Hanau said that the code had received a wider audience following the publication of an article in Open Mind and that Hyphen-21 had been asked to present to the World Federation for Mental Health. He expanded on the code saying that questions should be asked in a respectful manner and that professionals should not ask questions in front of strangers or with more professionals present than is necessary for the benefit of the user.

Rogan Wolf concluded by saying that he hoped the code would become a model for improvements in care. He said he felt that modern psychiatric systems were developing and that there was now more involvement of social workers and occupational therapists.

Questions and Issues Raised:

Lynne Jones thanked the speakers for their very good presentation and invited questions and comments. Dr Morris Zwi said that he was very pleased to hear of the development of this code and that he felt it should be adopted widely. He said he would take it back to the Child and Adolescent Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Lynne Jones expressed surprise that such a code was not already in place. She said she could table parliamentary questions about developing the code in hospitals.

Peter Kinderman said that it was central to improving services that users are involved to insist that guidelines are adopted. Mr Wolf responded that he agreed in principle but that single user representation is not necessarily the best way of involving people and that it was more important to involve users at all stages. Lynne Jones asked whether this was happening with patient forums in hospitals. Mr Wolf said that it was beginning to happen.

Martin Aaron said that professional bodies should adopt the code and the Department of Health should ensure it is implemented. It was agreed that Dr Zwi would take these comments back to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

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