About the campaign 

This year has seen the 40th anniversary of the Mental Health Act. The Mental Health Act is the legislation that allows people experiencing a mental health crisis to be detained in hospital when they are unwell. These laws are vital, but badly out of date.  

Rethink Mental Illness has been campaigning to improve the Act since the 1980s and this is the closest we’ve ever been to seeing it reformed. Forty years is a long time to wait. For decades people living with a severe mental illness have not had enough say in their treatment. And the experiences of Black people detained under the Act have got worse.

We were deeply disappointed that the government decided to drop the Mental Health Bill, which would have reformed the Mental Health Act, from the most recent King's speech. But this is not the end. 

We will continue to keep up the pressure on the government to #WrapItUp and push forwards with Mental Health Act reform.

If you would like to get involved with our #WrapItUp campaign, click here to sign up and find out more.