Lord Darzi’s report ‘leading local change’ published today – mental health charity Rethink responds

In today’s report health minister Lord Darzi says he wants service-users and their carers to have their say over the kinds of health service they want and need in their local area. Lord Darzi is committed to listening to the real experts – those at the sharp end, relying on NHS services. This radical approach is welcomed by mental health charity Rethink.

On 1st May Rethink held a huge national engagement event, with Lord Darzi, NHS mental health leads from across the county and over 70 people affected by mental illness. The event was the only national mental health engagement event feeding in to Lord Darzi’s NHS review.

People with mental illness - some of whom were detained and needed home office permission to attend - had the chance to tell health managers from their areas exactly what sort of services they wanted – while Lord Darzi listened in.

Some key demands of mental health service-users were:

· Discrimination against people with mental illness from NHS workers must end.
· Denying people with mental illness equal access to physical healthcare must end.
· Service users are the experts and they must be listened to.
· People who have mental illness need continuity – constant chopping and changing of nurses and social workers should stop.

Rethink’s Chief Executive Paul Jenkins welcomed the charity’s opportunity to be involved with Lord Darzi’s review:

“We are delighted that Lord Darzi recognises the role mental health charities like Rethink have to play in bringing the voice of service-users to the fore. For years mental health service-users have been trapped behind a wall of stigma and silence. We hope the new listening approach will begin to break down that wall.

“This event was a fantastic opportunity for people with mental illness to influence the future of the NHS; for both the minister, and health managers to hear the truth – straight from the horse’s mouth.”

Link to view / download the report:

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_084644

For more information or further comment please contact:

Vicky Trimikliniotis – Media Officer - 020 7330 9149 vicky.trimikiniotis@rethink.org
Hilary Caprani - Senior Media Officer - 020 7330 9112 or 07870 204583 hilary.caprani@rethink.org