Lynne Jones MP masthead.gif (12858 bytes)

Home

Contact me

Articles

Events round up

In Parliament

Links

Local issues

Policy issues

Press releases

About me

 

Mental Health

All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health

I am co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health, which is attended not only by MPs and Peers with an interest in mental health but also representatives of voluntary organisations and others active in mental health issues.

In September 2008 the group launched a website to provide a resource for anyone wishing to understand more about mental health policy and the activities of the APPG itself.

Rethink have currently taken over from The Royal College of Psychiatrists to provide the secretarial support for the group.  The APG has been a very useful discussion forum and helped bring disparate groups together to form the Mental Health Alliance, which successfully campaigned to improve the mental health legislation culminating in the passing of the Mental Health Act 2007.


Articles


For the most recent information on the work I have been doing on mental health issues, please see the APG archive.

For previous work I have done on mental health issues, please see the policy archive.


My Speech during the Mental Health Bill, June 2007

Mental Health Bill Speech


1 in 100 launch - July 2006

Click here for more information on the launch of a campaign to provide more information to people experiencing schizophrenia and their families and friends.


Early Day Motions

In January 2009 I tabled the following motion to co-incide with the launch in Parliament of the Time to Change campaign to end mental health discrimination.

EDM 522

TIME TO CHANGE CAMPAIGN TO END MENTAL HEALTH DISCRIMINATION

That this House supports Time to Change, England's biggest and most ambitious campaign to end mental health discrimination; notes that one in four people will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime; further notes that nine out of 10 people with mental health problems have been discriminated against at home, work or in the community; acknowledges that the stigma surrounding mental health problems must be challenged at every level of society; encourages greater and more open discussions in Parliament of the ways in which mental illness has impacted on the lives of hon. Members, their families and friends; and calls on the Government to speak out publicly in support of the Time to Change initiative.


For more information on Time to Change:  www.time-to-change.org.uk/


In July 2008 I tabled the following motion in support of the APG report on Mental Health in Parliament:

EDM 2077

MENTAL HEALTH IN PARLIAMENT

That this House welcomes the Report of the All-Party Group on Mental Health on Mental Health in Parliament; and resolves to do all in its power to implement the Report's recommendations to encourage greater openness amongst parliamentarians about their experiences of mental illness, thus helping to challenge the widespread discrimination suffered by people who have experienced a mental health problem.


In February 2008 I tabled the following motion in support of a new guide to tackle stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness:

EDM 1027

WHAT'S THE STORY MEDIA GUIDE ON MENTAL HEALTH REPORTING

That this House welcomes the guide for the media entitled What's the Story produced by Shift, the Department of Health-funded campaign to tackle stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness; notes that headlines continue to carry derogatory terms like nutter, schizo or maniac and considers that by challenging these stereotypes, rather than reinforcing them, the media can encourage more openness about mental illness which will dramatically improve the lives of all those affected and will encourage others to come forward to get the treatment they desperately need; further notes the information provided by the guide on the dangers to vulnerable people of sensational reporting of suicides and the need to avoid reporting excessive detail about methods used in order to prevent copycat suicides; and urges all those reporting on mental health issues to make good use of this guide and the contacts listed within it

For more information on Shift or for a copy of the 'What's the Story' handbook:  www.shift.org.uk/mediahandbook/


In November 2007 I tabled the following motion about the dangers of cannibis use:

EDM 209

RESPONDING TO THE DANGERS OF CANNABIS USE


That this House supports the mental health charity Rethink in its call for a public education campaign to convey the dangers of cannabis use; offers this support in light of the recent review of research published in the Lancet, which concludes that frequency of cannabis use increases the risk of psychotic illness such as schizophrenia by up to 40 per cent.; calls for clarity on the cannabis debate, particularly regarding the strength of skunk varieties of the drug; believes that reclassifying cannabis will not in itself lead to a decrease in the number of people who use it; notes that the proportion of young people using cannabis has actually fallen since it was reclassified in January 2004 from 25.3 per cent. of 16 to 24 year olds in 2003-04 to 20.9 per cent. in 2006-07; and urges the Government to commit to the development of a long-term awareness and information campaign with health promotion rather than a change in the law as the main lever to reduce use, in addition to funding research into the link between cannabis use and mental ill health.

For more information on Rethink:  http://www.rethink.org/

back to top

 
 
   

Website of the APPG on Mental Health click here

Includes: minutes of recent meetings & annual reviews


Election Compact on Mental Health

Launched March 2010
Click here


APPGMH Report on NICE Guideline on Schizophrenia

Launched, 02 March 2010

Report
Nice Guideline
Press release


Mental Health in Parliament survey

click here
(published July 2008)


links:

Rethink

Royal College of Psychiatrists

Mind


Topical issue...


On the web...


Four links across bottom bar 1) Young People's Parliament 2) Children and Young People's Unit 3) Kids Explore Parliament 4) Labour Party

Created by GMID Design & Communication

Home | Contact me | Articles | Events round up | In parliament
Links | Local issues | Policy issues | Press releases | About me