Mental Health Discrimination Bill

Old and outdated Acts of Parliament still include measures which make it possible to actively discriminate against people with mental health problems. These were created a long time ago, and have been left unchanged despite commitments from Government to challenge stigma associated with mental illness.

MPs and Lords who are not Government ministers can seek to change existing law by presenting a 'Private Member's Bill' in Parliament.

On Friday 25th November, the Mental Health Discrimination Bill will be presented for Second Reading (debate) by Lord Dennis Stevenson of Coddenham. This Bill amends four different pieces of legislation to remove discrimination:

• MPs - can be removed from their role permanently if they are detained under the Mental Health Act. MPs would not lose their seat in this way for any other health-related reason.
• Jury service - You cannot currently serve on a jury if you are receiving treatment for a mental health condition - this could be anything from taking anti-depressants or another medication to receiving cognitive behavioural therapy.
• School governors - can be disqualified permanently if detained under the Mental Health Act with no apparent ability to resume the post.
• Company directors - cease to to be a director as soon as a health professional gives the opinion that they may be 'mentally incapable' of carrying out the role for 3 or more months. This law also seems to confuse mental 'health' and mental 'capacity'.

Rethink Mental Illness is pleased to be supporting the Mental Health Discrimination Bill.

We have worked over the past couple of years to raise the profile of these issues. This includes supporting members of Rethink Mental Illness to present to a panel of Parliamentarians at Speaker's Conference in January 2010.

You can find out more about our about other campaining we have done on these issues here.