Press release: NHS Confederation welcomes new plans for Mental Health Bill
26 Nov 2003
The NHS Confederation today welcomes the Government's commitment to bring forward the draft Mental Health Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny, and the pledge to address its workforce implication.
Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "A new mental health bill is urgently needed, and this move enables the legislation to be introduced swiftly, while ensuring that this time the Bill balances the needs of people with mental health conditions and the wider concerns of the general public. Our members are fully committed to modernising mental health legislation, to ensure that people are treated in the right place at the right time."
Gill added: "Our research shows that the draft Bill published last year could double the workload of mental health service staff. Therefore we strongly welcome the Government's commitment to working with stakeholders on the workforce implications of the Bill.
ENDS
Notes for editors
- The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
- 'The Draft Mental Health Bill: an assessment of the implications for mental health service organisations' is available from the NHS Confederation and produced in conjunction with the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
Back to media centre
