Stigma and health services
The Mental Health Foundation research found that 44% of people who has experienced mental distress said that they had experienced discrimination from GPs. 35% of people surveyed said they had experienced discrimination from health professionals other than GPs.
Discrimination can include not taking concerns seriously, putting concerns down being ‘neurotic’, attributing any concerns about physical health to mental health problems, not listening, being unsupportive or inconsiderate to feelings, being assumed not to have mental capacity or not being treated properly at A&E.
The main reason for these discriminatory behaviours is that the health care professional dealing with you is not knowledgeable or experienced in mental illness. See the section on Talking to Your Doctor for information on what to do if you are unhappy with your GP.
People with mental illness may feel discriminated against in other areas in health services. For example, people with schizophrenia have been prevented from giving blood or pledging to donate organs because they have been assumed not to have mental capacity.
If you feel that you have experienced discrimination due to mental illness in health services, you could call the National Advice Service to discuss your situation, as you might want to think about making a complaint or raise an issue for Rethink to take up as part of our campaign work. See also the section Rights and Laws for related information.
The main reason for these discriminatory behaviours is that the health care professional dealing with you is not knowledgeable or experienced in mental illness. See the section on Talking to Your Doctor for information on what to do if you are unhappy with your GP.
People with mental illness may feel discriminated against in other areas in health services. For example, people with schizophrenia have been prevented from giving blood or pledging to donate organs because they have been assumed not to have mental capacity.
If you feel that you have experienced discrimination due to mental illness in health services, you could call the National Advice Service to discuss your situation, as you might want to think about making a complaint or raise an issue for Rethink to take up as part of our campaign work. See also the section Rights and Laws for related information.
