BASW: Service users need to take a lead role in mental health debate

Following a week in Westminster where mental health has been a hot topic, BASW England says service users need to be placed in a central position in this debate.

On Sunday, newly elected Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn turned down an opportunity to be interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr show to attend a Camden & Islington NHS Mental Health Trust’s Fun Day in his constituency.

Luciana Berger’s appointment as shadow Minister for Mental Health was subsequently announced. The role will consider how best mental health issues can be addressed by the NHS and prioritised by a Labour government. The post has no counterpart in the Conservative government and reports to the Shadow Health Secretary.

In a statement, Mr Corbyn said: “I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in.”

The Independent newspaper reports Mr Corbyn explained his stance in a speech in Parliament in February this year: “All of us can go through depression; all of us can go through those experiences. Every single one of us in this Chamber knows people who have gone through it, and has visited people who have been in institutions and have fully recovered and gone back to work and continued their normal life,” he said.

“I dream of the day when this country becomes as accepting of these problems as some Scandinavian countries are, where one Prime Minister was given six months off in order to recover from depression, rather than being hounded out of office as would have happened on so many other occasions.”

Mr Corbyn said at the time that he believed access to “timely and appropriate” treatment was the biggest issue for mental healthcare, alongside the recognition of mental disabilities by the Department for Work and Pensions.

“I have had far too many anecdotal reports from constituents and others who go for a Department for Work and Pensions availability for work test,” he said.

At Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQs), following Mr Corbyn’s ‘crowdsourcing’ of questions, more than a thousand people requested a question on mental health services, including Gail, who asked: “Do you think it is acceptable that the mental services in this country are on their knees at the present time?”

“There are areas I think we can work together and this is one of them,” was the PM’s response, "We do need to do more to increase mental health services in this country." The PM argued that “important steps had been made in recent years, but added: “There are problems in some mental health services and it’s right that we make that commitment. But we will not have a strong NHS unless we have a strong economy.”

Commenting on a high profile week for mental health services, BASW England Manager Maris Stratulis said: “It’s good there is recognition from both sides of the House of the crisis affecting children and adults who need quick access to mental health services.

“People who experience trauma can often experience periods of mental health issues and the need for therapeutic services has been a key element in both adults and children’s services, including cases of child sexual exploitation, domestic violence and disability related issues.

“It is so important to hear the voice of the service user and their friends and families in this debate, as they know better than anyone how services should be shaped. There is a will to give mental health services parity of esteem with other NHS services but the reality is this is a very slow work in progress.

“Mental health needs to be high on the political agenda and maintain a high profile. Most people will know someone who has experienced mental health difficulties but there is still a stigma and label attached to people by employers, the media, and sometimes in communities.

“BASW is determined to keep mental health services on the agenda and looks forward to working with the Social Work All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on this critical issue.”