Martin supports change on Mental Health (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Martin supports change on Mental Health

April 27, 2007 10:03 PM

Cheltenham's MP Martin Horwood made a powerful contribution to a parliamentary debate on the Government's new Mental Health Bill recently.

Calling for more safeguards against people with mental illness being locked up against their will, he also highlighted the unusual local case of James Green. James risked jail for setting fire to his family home after local NHS chiefs failed to offer treatment for his personality disorder. Martin appealed for cross-party agreement on the issue: 'no-one should be denied treatment because of the label that we have stuck on them' he said. The Bill removes the old narrow definition of mental illness that stopped some people getting the treatment that would have made them (and others) safer.