I call on the government to repeal and replace the Mental Health Act. Labour has started something great for the mental health system but it has taken them too long a time to have laws put in for the changes. I had been a victim of the Mental Health Act and the Act has done damage to other patients like me. By forcing me to take antipsychotic medications when the side effects were horrendous and then failing to win my case over the court trials despite how strong my statements were, all these had caused me huge suffering, physically and mentally. The psychiatrists believe in only medications when there are so many other good therapies to help the patients. I am so glad that the Tribunal Review I had recently has freed me from the Act. Finally, I have found justice. But my battle does not end here. I intend to fight for the Act to be repealed and replaced. Patients should have the right to make their own decisions on how they are to be treated. Dignity was deprived of me when the police came forcing me into the hospital, forcing me to have injections of Olanzapine. Seclusion had brought me anger and to a certain extent fear while in the hospital. We are treated like children in the hospital - punished when we do not comply.
The amount of money put on court trials which, as I see them, are only shows to justify what the psychiatrists want and were never for the benefit of the patients and money spent on expensive medications like Olanzapine can be well used for other therapies which can help patients and do not cause side effects. Medications should only be used in emergencies.
I love the framework that has come out from all the inquiries made, now it is for the government to bring it to fruition. I hope the new government will do something for mental health which has been neglected and not even mentioned in their policies for more than thirty years before the present Labour government does something about it.