New report highlights Mental Health Act concerns

A new report published by the Mental Health Alliance outlines concerns that the Mental Health Act fails to notice the dignity, autonomy and human rights of people with mental illness.

The report, led by Rethink Mental Illness on behalf of the Alliance and titled A Mental Health Act fit for tomorrow, is based on the opinions of 8,000 people who either use mental health services or work in the field as carers and professionals.

The report found that the majority of participants agreed that it is sometimes necessary to treat someone in hospital against their wishes and restrict their human rights of their own or others’ safety, demonstrating support for the Act’s main purpose.

It did however reveal that Community Treatment Orders, seclusion, and physical restraint are used too readily in some mental healthcare settings when participants believe they should only be used as a desperate remedy.

Key findings showed that: 49 per cent disagreed that people are treated with dignity under the Mental Health Act; 50 per cent would not be confident that their human rights would be protected should they be detained under the Act; 72 per cent disagreed that the rights of people living with mental illness are protected as well as those with a physical illness; and 86 per cent felt it was very important that people are allowed to choose which people close to them can be involved in decisions.

The Mental Health Alliance is concerned that there are parts if the Act which are out of date. It urges the government to act on its promise to reform the Mental Health Act and take into account the views of those affected by mental illness.

Suzanne Hudson, chair of the Mental Health Alliance, said: "The Mental Health Act is 34 years old, in which time there have been major changes in terms of the rise in mental health problems and detentions under the Act. As it stands the Mental Health Act is not fit for purpose, which is why we are urgently calling for the government to stick to its promise to review it, and take into consideration the thousands of people who voiced their concerns in this survey. In this way, together we can protect the rights and improve care for some of the most vulnerable people in the health system."