The coalition campaigning against key elements of the Mental
Health Bill has split, with five major organisations suspending
their membership to form a new coalition.
Unison, the Royal College of Nursing, the Mental Health Nurses
Association, the British Psychological Society and the College of
Occupational Therapists have been unable to agree with the rest of
the now 75-member alliance over which professionals should have the
authority to extend compulsory treatment.
The five bodies, which claim to represent 85% of NHS mental
health staff and have been part of the alliance since its
inception, want their members to have the authority to extend
treatment, but the alliance has taken no policy position on the
issue.
A statement from the five organisations says MPs have not been
given “clear and unambiguous messages from all stakeholders” during
the bill’s committee stage.
The five published a
briefing in April suggesting an amendment made to the bill by
peers, which would mean only doctors could make decisions on
detention, would reintroduce “outmoded hierarchies” into mental
health services.
The amendment was later overturned in the Commons.
Professor Peter Kinderman, of the British Psychological Society,
said: “The best quality mental health care is provided by
multi-disciplinary teams working together to provide the care
people want and need. Today a wide range of experts from a range of
professional backgrounds - nurses, psychologists, social workers
and occupational therapists, as well as psychiatrists - plan care
and lead clinical teams. The law should reflect this important
clinical reality.”
Alliance chair Andy Bell said: “The five organisations have made
a number of important contributions to the campaign for a better
bill over the past eight years. It is reasonable that in view of
the lack of agreement among alliance stakeholders on professional
roles, that they felt the need to concentrate on this issue which
is of great importance to them.”
“The alliance continues its campaign to speak up for the people
most affected by this legislation: the people who use mental health
services and their families.”
The bill is expected to enter its report stage in the House of
Commons later this month.
More information
Mental Health Bill: special report
Essential
mental health information