Giles Watling, Member of Parliament for Clacton, has pushed for patients receiving mental health support to have more power over their treatment.
Giles rose on the floor of the House to ask the Mental Health Minister, Jackie Doyle-Price MP, if she agreed that involving more patients in determining their own care packages and giving them greater control over their own treatment is part of the treatment itself. The Minister said she “totally agreed” with Giles.
Giles said
“That fact of the matter is that it can be a very scary experience to have treatment offered to you if you don’t really know understand what that treatment is or why you are having it. Often, understanding your treatment and having an input into your care can make you feel like you are in the driver’s seat. This is very important. I was very glad the Minister and her department agreed with me.”
The Minister did highlight that the system still needs work. Jackie Doyle-Price MP said
“We are very concerned that we are still finding cases in which people are being detained under the Mental Health Act without being properly apprised of their rights under the Act, and without the support of advocates to represent them.”
Giles responded following the debate by saying that “Making sure mental health users understand their rights is vital. I am glad this is a real department focus and I look forward to monitoring progress.”