Removing discrimination against
mental health
Mental Health (Discrimination)
Bill
|
|
|
|
The College worked with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health
to address discrimination against mental health in Parliament.
This involved working with the APPG
to produce a survey of MPs, Peers, and their staff in July
2008, which led to the Mental Health in Parliament
report.
|
 |
One of the key recommendations in Mental Health in Parliament
report was that Section 141 of the Mental Health Act should be
repealed.
Under Section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983 an MP
automatically loses his/her seat in Parliament if detained under
the Act for a period of six months or more. There are no provisions
suffering from physical illnesses which stop them from carrying out
their duties and responsibilities for the same length of
time.
Lord Dennis Stevenson and Charles Walker MP, supported by the
Royal College of Psychiatrists, and other mental health
organisations, are campaigning to repeal four areas of
discrimination against those with mental health conditions in UK
laws and regulations. These relate to MPs, Jurors, Company
Directors and School Governors.
In April 2011, Lord Stevenson introduced the
Mental Health
(Discrimination) Bill which aims to repeal the
discriminatory provisions in each of these four areas.
The original Bill ran out of Parliamentary time but was
reintroduced to the Commons by Gavin Barwell MP and has
received support through the debates.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- Section 141 of the Mental Health Act 1983,
under which Member of Parliament in Westminster,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland automatically lose
their seats if they are detained for more than six months,
would be repealed.
- The Juries Act 1974 would be amended to
overturn the blanket ban on jury service for
people with a mental disorder.
-
Company regulations would be amended so
that a person no longer ceases to be a director of a public or
private company purely ‘by reason of their mental
health’.
School governance regulations in the
original Bill have already been be amended so that individuals
detained under the Mental Health Act are no longer be
prevented from holding or continuing to hold office as
school governors.
The College has produced
a breifing
on the Bill.
College President Sue Bailey has said, "The College has
worked closely with Lord Stevenson on this Bill and we are proud to
be involved. The Government has already voiced its commitment to
removing the stigma associated with mental health problems and this
Bill goes some way to rectify this."
Read more about the issue
Progress: