Tories plan alternative mental health Bill
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Conservatives are working on an alternative mental health Bill to force the Government into rethinking controversial plans to detain mentally ill people thought likely to commit crime.
Following the Queen's Speech, ministers said they were delaying the introduction of mental health reforms for the second year running.
This follows fierce criticism from psychiatrists, lawyers, charities and patients who say parts of the draft mental health Bill are designed for public protection and will undermine the rights of the mentally ill.
For more than a year The Independent on Sunday has campaigned for better rights for people suffering mental distress. We have urged ministers to rethink plans to boost the powers of psychiatrists to lock up innocent people.
Under the health secretary, John Reid, the draft Bill has already been altered to give psychiatrists, sectioning people with severe personality disorder, discretionary rather than compulsory powers.
The Mental Health Alliance is, however, working with the Tories on a private member's bill. Tim Loughton, the shadow health minister, said the Bill should not make anyone with a mental disorder subject to compulsorily treatment.
Dr Tony Zigmond, vice-president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, also called for a change to Labour's Bill provisions concerning the "definition of mental disorder" and "criteria for compulsion".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments