DMH 171 Service User Forum
Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Mental
Health Service User Forum
c/o Cardiff & Vale Mental Health Development
Project
Unit 11, Williams Court
Trade Street
Cardiff CF 10 5DQ
27 October 2004
Dear Mr Dawson
DRAFT MENTAL HEALTH BILL
I am writing to you on behalf of the
Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Mental Health Service User Forum
about the Draft Mental Health Bill.
We have examined the Draft Bill with
great interest and as current or former service users have highlighted
below some major concerns that we have. These are as follows.
1. The new definition of mental
disorder described as "presence of psychological dysfunction"
emphasis's effect rather than the underlying cause. This is still
too broad a definition. We are concerned about who makes the decision,
how it is made and that more people will fall under it.
2. We are also concerned at the increased likelihood
of individuals coming under compulsory treatment powers; this
includes those who have not necessarily been sectioned in the
past. We feel strongly about a persons right to refuse treatment
if they have capacity to do so.
3. We object to the notion that people with mental
health difficulties are a risk to others. This Draft Bill is designed
to ensure a person can be forcibly admitted to hospital even if
this is not the best course of action. This action:
a. reinforces the prejudice that
service users are dangerous
b. causes stigma of mental health service users
c. and results in vulnerable people being afraid
to access services
4. We oppose the Draft Bills correlation
that people who self harm in particular are a risk to others.
There is no evidence of this.
5. We are concerned
about the extension of the assessment function to include people
such as Community Psychiatric Nurse's; this will seriously interfere
with their therapeutic role.
6. We are also worried that additional power
may come through secondary legislation.
Thank you for your consideration of
these matters.
David Hussey
Vice Chair, Service User Forum
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