LOCAL CAMPAIGNERS JOIN NATIONWIDE LOBBY FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATION

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 28th Nov 2006

Local campaigners Robert Stephens and Peter Brown today joined hundreds of people from around the country in a mass lobby of Parliament to oppose worrying mental health legislation proposals.

On the day of the second reading in the House of Lords, the Mental Health Alliance - a coalition of 78 organisations - organised the lobby to give people who maybe affected by the Mental Health Bill the opportunity to express their concerns about it.

Lorely Burt MP, who joined local campaigners in their lobby, said:

"I have recently written to the Secretary of Health raising my concerns about these proposals as I deeply believe that there should be a full and proper consultation on the Government's proposals before they are published. The Bill now before Parliament is deeply flawed and increases the scope of compulsory treatment further than is necessary and has too few safeguards for patient's welfare."

Solihull campaigner, Peter Brown, said:

"People in Solihull have been fighting for better mental health services for years. It is not acceptable that the Government's response is further legislation restricting the liberties of people with mental health problems, without giving people any right to an assessment of their mental health needs when they want it, or any commitment to making mental health services available when they need them.