FREEDOM FROM FORCE AND FEAR CAMPAIGN
MENTAL HEALTH TASKFORCE
Help us with our Survey.
NHS England has announced a new Mental Health Taskforce that will develop a five year national strategy for mental health, covering all ages. The strategy will be published in the summer, and will be aligned with NHS England's Five Year Forward View for the whole NHS. It is crucial that a wide range of lived experience and professional expertise informs the strategy, and we'd like your help.
Do You Agree With this Statement?
Most of all we need a change in the law. We have had a change of attitude towards Mental Health and this is reflected in the way that people have less fear and are willing to talk about it more. However people are still being locked up when they would be better having support in the Community. Suicides are worse than ever especially on the Wards at Bradgate Unit, Leicester. This is because people cannot live without choice and control in their life and they do not know why they have been sectioned. Atleast a Tribunal or Court Case would help them understand the causes and make them feel safer. Many MPs agree the law needs to change to protect and safeguard Survivors of Mental Health. No one should be locked up against their will on a Psychiatric Ward unless they have been a danger to themselves or others. A proper Judge and Jury would decide fairly about this. The Health Professionals are too blinded by the illness with little concern for the history or truth of the situation of the individual. Too often people are locked up without having been dangerous and without feeling ill. This makes the situation worse for everyone. Please let us know how you feel about this by filling in our survey online at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2Y9DVQV
Or Download it here
Mental Health Unwrapped
RECOVERY are a charity that was set up by Mental Health Survivors 10 years ago in Oakham. Their Fffaf (Freedom from force and fear) Campaign is now based in Leicester city and hopes to make sure that Survivors do not have to suffer the anxiety and fear that comes from being sectioned or forced on drugs against their will.
RECOVERY is a charity that is well-known for training RECOVERY Assistance Dogs to help Survivors throughout the UK to recover their wellbeing. Liz Maitland, Executive Director and Founder Member, recognises that the dogs do a great work and are really successful but "little can be done to help Survivors to get well when they are being detained in hospital because their motives or actions have been misunderstood."
RECOVERY is writing to Norman Lamb (Minister of State for Care and Support) to help the government to change the law so that Mental Health Survivors have a tribunal or court case before they can be sectioned. As the law stands people are being locked up and then three weeks later having a tribunal to hear their case. Survivors can be locked up by two doctors and have a right to apply for a tribunal from the day they are first detained. However this takes three weeks to organise with the help of Mental Health Advocates and Solicitors. In the letter to Mr Lamb RECOVERY writes: "The point is more to do with making sure that justice is being done. We have evidence that the wider public feel it is wrong to lock anyone up without a proper tribunal or court case. Survivors of Mental Health problems would definitely prefer protection from being locked up by a court case. The trauma comes from the unfairness of being sectioned when they feel it is unnecessary." Mr Lamb is more concerned about the trauma of a court case for the patient than for justice to be done.
The recent consultation about the ‘Changes to Mental Health Act (1983) Code of Practice’ may bring some improvements. Members of RECOVERY look forward to hearing about the proposed changes and hope they will enable Mental Health Survivors to feel safer with less anxiety and fear about losing their freedom.
RECOVERY the charity for Mental Health has produced this petition for the general public to sign in agreement to allow people to have a choice about going into hospital or on psychiatric Medication.
We also urge you to email your Member of Parliament about making the UK a safe place for mental health.
Feel free to contact us if you would like anymore information on this campaign - recovery4wellbeing@gmail.com
Was it Suicide or a Panic Attack
that caused the Plane Crash?
The plane that crashed over the French Alps was a shocking experience for us all. It is particularly a concern for Mental Health Charity RECOVERY that campaigns for freedom from force and fear within Mental Health. Anyone who has suffered themselves from Panic Attacks would know what it feels like to have one. Some of the Survivors at RECOVERY have such bad Panic Attacks that they cannot talk, move or breathe. The sound of the Co-Pilot's breathing as all that can be heard on the black box recording sounds like he was having a Panic Attack and couldn't fly the plane, open the door or do anything to avert the crash.
Liz Maitland, Executive Director and Founder Member of RECOVERY, believes that "We will never really know whether he completed suicide or if it was a Panic Attack that prevented him from reacting appropriately. What we do know is that if people had a better attitude to Mental Health and gave Survivors more choice and control in their lives they would not feel suicidal in the first place. In Germany, like in the UK, people can be forced into hospital and on drugs without a proper Court Case. This can make people determined to end a life where they no longer have free-will."
Good can come out of evil. Let's hope that attitudes towards Mental Health can improve and people can feel safe that no-one is going to be forced into hospital and on drugs without a proper tribunal or Court Case to determine if they are a danger to themselves or others. RECOVERY are having a Hustings Meeting at Vulcan House, Vulcan Road, Leicester, LE5 3EF on Friday 1 May at 11am. Local candidates will come along to tell us what they will do for Human Rights to stop people being detained in hospital against their will without a proper Court Case. Look at www.RECOVERY4Wellbeing.org or contact Liz on 0116 2532073 if you are interested in the Fffaf (Freedom from force and fear) Campaign.
Setting up a helpline for women and girls affected by self harm
Bristol Crisis Service for Women are currently running a consultation about setting up a helpline for women and girls who are affected by self harm. Please fill in the survey (using the link below) with your views on the best way to run this service. Your input is greatly appreciated and feel free to pass it on to anyone you know who may be interested.
www.surveymonkey.com/s/NationalSHWomensHelpline
RECOVERY
Finding ways to wellbeing
