Mental Health Law Update The Government is looking at the Mental Health Law called the Mental Health Act. The Mental Health Act gives Doctors the power to treat people with learning difficulties and autism in an Assessment and Treatment Unit or Psychiatric hospital if their behaviour is a danger to themselves or others. For Easy Read information about the Mental Health Act see: https://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/aboutnhsservices/me ntal-health-services-explained/pages/easy-read-mentalhealth-act.aspx
Why is the Mental Health Act important for people with learning difficulties and autism? People with learning difficulties and autism: Are seen as mental a mental illness which means they can be treated in hospital even if a person does not want this Whose behaviour is thought to be a danger to themselves or others by doctors can be made to go into hospital. The law does not say what dangerous behaviours are. Can have behaviours and thoughts that are seen as dangerous because of feeling not understood or listened to by other people such as Doctors, Teachers, Parents and Care staff. This can then often lead to being treated in a hospital. Are being treated with drugs with bad side effects such as putting on weight, feeling tired etc. Sometimes they are forced to have treatment.
Are staying too long in hospital because Doctors do not think that the person is thinking or behaving well enough to live in their own homes. Are stuck in hospitals because Local Authorities do not want to find the homes and pay for care. Can be treated in hospital if the local authority decides that the person cannot make their own decisions.
The Act needs to change so that people with learning difficulties and autism Are not included in the law because they can still be well whilst thinking and behavouring differently from non-disabled people. This does not mean that disabled people s behaviour is a danger to oneself or others. Will not be forced into hospital to have treatment which makes them feel bad. Are not forced to take drugs that will change who they are. Can be supported to be understood by their families, friends, services and society as a whole. Are living in the community with support rather than in hospitals.
UN Convention for Persons with Disabilities In 2009 the Labour Government agreed to make sure Disabled people can access their rights in the UN Convention for Persons with Disabilities. For Easy Read information about the UN Convention go to: https://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/aboutnhsservices/me ntal-health-services-explained/pages/easy-read-mentalhealth-act.aspx UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: this is an international agreement that the government signed up to push for the full rights of Disabled people in the UK. This year the UN Committee looked to see what the United Kingdom (UK) has done and has not done in supporting disabled peoples rights as in the UN Convention. The UN Committee made it clear that the Government must: Stop using institutions to give care Stop treating people with learning difficulties and autism in hospitals when they do not want this
Stop letting medication be used to make people with learning difficulties and autism sleepy and quiet Change the Mental Health and other laws so that people with learning difficulties and autism can be supported to make decisions and stop others such as families and professionals making decisions for us. Change the law to stop people with learning difficulties and autism from being forced into psychiatric care and Assessment and Treatment units when they do not want to go. It is good to hear what our members think contact Simone Aspis through People First (Self Advocacy) at: peoplefirstltd@gmail.com This update was written by Simone Aspis, an advocate for people with learning difficulties and autism wanting to live in the community rather than a hospital setting and a member of People First (Self Advocacy).