Mental Health Bill Will Increase Stigma And Discrimination Against People With Mental Illness, UK

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 23 Jun 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The Royal College of Psychiatrists Annual Conference today heard a claim that the Mental Health Bill, now being debated in Parliament, will increase stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. Professor Graham Thornicroft, a psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry in King's College London, summarised the findings of his new book called 'Shunned'. It shows that messages reinforcing connections between mental illness and violence - such as the Government's repeated justification for its new Mental Health Bill in relation to the Michael Stone case - only serve to make social exclusion even worse for people with mental illness.

Speaking in Edinburgh today Professor Thornicroft said 'We know that at least three quarters of all people who have mental illness receive no treatment at all, and indeed many avoid treatment so fear of being labelled as mentally unwell. For people who have been treated in mental health services over 80% are now unemployed. The last thing we need now is a mental health law that will make social exclusion even worse, especially for black people who feel especially coerced by the system.'

He called for a major and sustained nationwide campaign to end stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. For example, people with a history of mental illness excluded from serving on a jury in England. 'This is quite clearly grossly discriminatory' said Professor Thornicroft.

Professor Thornicroft added that a recent survey by the Shaw Trust revealed the 'shocking' findings that half of over 500 company bosses questioned believed that none of their employees have any mental health problems. 'The scale of misunderstanding is staggering.' Claimed Professor Thornicroft 'and shows that we need to change the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of employers very substantially.'

Professor Thornicroft said that it was not inevitable that people with mental health problems should be stigmatised and marginalised. Successful anti-stigma campaigns in Australia, New Zealand and Scotland have rapidly changed people's views for the better. He suggested that when speaking to the media, psychiatrists should 'Always insist on being accompanied by a service user. It is high time that we accept that people with mental illness are able to speak directly on their own behalf and no longer have their human rights denied.'

Graham Thornicroft is the author of 'Shunned: discrimination against people with mental illness. (2006) Oxford University Press, Oxford

The Royal College Of Psychiatrists Annual Meeting
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
19-22 June 2007