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The Mental Health Alliance's campaign for a better Mental Health Act has been conducted through the media as well as directly with Government, Parliament and those involved in mental health services. The national mass media are vital in shaping the way the public and politicians think about an issue and setting the tone for debate. Specialist media in health and social care are also vital forums for more in-depth debate, raising important issues and informing those who are involved in mental health care about developments in the sector.
The Alliance seeks informed media debate about the Mental Health Bill. We have worked not just to put across our issues but to move the debate away from a stigmatising focus on violence to a fairer focus on human rights.
While too much national media coverage of mental health is still about rare but tragic incidents of homicide, Alliance members have managed to bring about some changes to the way the Bill is discussed. We try wherever possible to encourage the media to give a platform to service users and their families to talk about their experiences of the Act.
The Mental Health Alliance hopes that as part of our joint campaign for better mental health legislation, we can also go some way toward challenging the prejudices and stereotypes that create so much of the harassment and discrimination people with mental health problems still experience in their everyday lives.
For media enquiries, contact:
Fran Gorman, The Mental Health Foundation
Andy Bell, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health