Disability and Mental Health Issues
Gerald Tanner, a graduate in zoology and former biology teacher, is currently pastor of an evangelical church and chaplain for people with learning disabilities on behalf of Solihull Primary Care NHS Trust.
Disability Issues
Direct Payments for Disabled people
These were introduced in April 2003. Local Authorities are under a duty to offer direct payments to all disabled people using social care services. These payments mean that disabled people can receive cash instead of social care services to purchase and arrange their own care needs. This gives disabled people greater freedom and control over their lives. It also enables them to employ a personal assistant who is willing to be sympathetic to their particular life style or worldview. According to Scope direct payments have the potential to ‘revolutionise disabled people’s lives.’ Disabled people have generally welcomed the changes though there is one aspect that is a cause for concern. Some local council services are not being maintained to a satisfactory standard. This is forcing disabled people to use direct payments and therefore they are not seeing a genuine increase of choice. Direct Payments should prove to be a real asset to Christian disabled people in a number of key areas. They will be able to seek personal assistant help at ‘awkward’hours to enable them to play a full part in the life of their local church. They will also be in a position to have support from Christian helpers of their choice.
[Source - Scope report 26 September 2003]
Lack of availability of short breaks for carers
According to a survey carried out by MENCAP:
1) 8 out of 10 families caring for someone with a learning disability have reached breaking point.
2) 6 out of 10 families are getting no short break service at all or one that is so minimal it does not meet their needs.
3) 9 out of 10 family based children’s services have a waiting list. Those waiting longest are those in most need. They care for those with a severe or profound learning disability.
4) 6 out of 10 families who are on a waiting list have been waiting for at least six months. There should be a duty on local authorities to ensure that there is proper provision for short breaks for caring families. The Government also have a responsibility to monitor this aspect of care provision. FIEC churches will have in their local communities families who are in need of help and who may be reaching breaking point. This situation provides a real opportunity for demonstrating Christian compassion.
[Source - MENCAP report June 2003]
Mental Health Issues
The need for sensitive reporting of Mental Health Cases
The Mental Health Charity, Mind, issued an open letter in reaction to the ‘deplorable headline’ in the first edition of The Sun newspaper on 25 September. The headline was prompted by the mental health difficulties being experienced by the boxer Frank Bruno. The headline caused serious offence to those suffering Mental Health difficulties and their families.
The Sun did change the headline and set up a fund to support charitable work with those who have mental health problems. However, the initial headline and the subsequent media discussion revealed ignorance, fear and misunderstanding of both the nature and the extent (1 in 10 suffer from some sort of mental illness at some point in their lives) of mental health issues.
The media discussion also exposed a worrying refusal of newspaper journalists working for newspapers in the same group as The Sun to speak out against the line taken by The Sun’s editor. Their reaction called into question the freedom of journalists to express their own opinions rather than keep to an editors’or proprietors’line.
Withdrawal of SSRI anti-depressants for under 18s
Two SSRI anti-depressants (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) are involved. They are Seroxat [withdrawn in June] and Efexor [withdrawn in September]. The former was being used in the treatment of 8,000 children and adolescents the latter 3,000.
This decision by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) raises three main concerns:
1) How well are psychiatric drugs being regulated?
2) Why are these drugs still considered safe for use with over 18s?
3) What alternative treatments will be made available for the under 18s, as there is still a lack of funding for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
[Source - Mind 25 September 2003]
The Mental Incapacity Bill
This was published on 27 June 2003. The Bill aims to protect and advance the rights of people who are incapable of making decisions for themselves. According to Mind ‘this includes some people with mental health problems who run their own lives when well but when in crisis are sometimes unable to do so.’
The Bill aims to give people with mental health problems a chance to elect someone to take care of their interests if and when they are unwell.
This could prove to be a real benefit to Christians who have experienced difficulties in this area. For example, those who have had bad side-effects from an anti-depressant will be able to instruct their representative to refuse its use in a subsequent bout of illness.
[Source - Mind 26 September 2003]
Crisis grows in mental health care
This was the headline to an article in the Observer on 21 September 2003. The growing crisis is apparently due to the accelerating numbers of younger patients. 24 of the 34 trusts across England reported an increase in the number of patients this year. Many of them were drug abusers who had developed psychiatric problems.
The problem is compounded by a lack of adequately funded psychotherapy services, a shortage of psychiatric nurses and reduced numbers of beds in specialist care units.
