A government taskforce has released a report on the state of mental healthcare services in England. And it doesn’t look good. The report reveals that the number of suicides in England is rising. There has been an increase in people being ‘sectioned’ (that is, kept in hospital because they are thought to pose a risk to their own health and safety, or that of others. And, in some areas, children who need help to deal with mental illnesses are having their appointments with specialists cancelled due to staff shortages.
Tragically, 75% of people who need mental healthcare are not receiving it.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said he wanted to see all those that were struggling to “get the help and support” they needed. Human rights have been hugely important in making sure that people who suffer from mental health conditions are given appropriate support.
Take a look at some of our posts on how human rights protect people with mental health issues here, including why mental health prejudice has no place in the justice system; why hospital detention must be fair; and how one woman fought for justice after her son’s death.
