GMC joins Mental Health Alliance

The General Medical Council has joined the Mental Health
Alliance, a coalition campaigning against government plans to
extend compulsory treatment for people with mental health problems,
writes Simeon Brody.

The GMC said proposals in the draft mental health bill had
implications for doctors’ ability to meet expected standards
of care for a particularly vulnerable group of patients.

It believes people with mental health problems should not be
subject to compulsory assessment and treatment without appropriate
safeguards of their rights and interests.

Meanwhile, people with a severe mental illness receive a
sub-standard level of physical care compared to the general
population, according to a report.

The study, by a group of mental health charities and experts
calls on healthcare professionals to take a holistic approach to
addressing the needs of people with serious mental illnesses,
taking into account their entire well-being.

Running on Empty from www.rethink.org