Notes of meeting: December 2001

Wednesday 5 December 2001

Dr Lynne Jones MP, Sandra Gidley MP, Virginia Bottomley MP
Simon Lawton-Smith (MACA), David Stone (Mind), Christopher Walden (RCPysch), Marjorie Wallace (SANE)

January 2002 meetingCW to finalise date for meeting with Louis Appleby
LA to talk about Govt. actions on dual diagnosis as well as his overall responsibilities
Also invite Sir David Goldberg to speak when date established
Invite Officers of APGs on Drug Misuse and Alcohol Misuse

March 2002Psychotherapy/Psychoanalysis
Agreed to invite Lord Alderdice to speak about regulation of psychotherapy. Also ask him to recommend other speakers to invite to talk about the role of psychotherapy/psychoanalysts etc in mental health services and the different therapies available
May 2002Benefits and mental health
CW to draft letter for LJ to Jacqui Smith MP mentioning pledge by Paul Boateng MP at previous meeting, asking whether there is cross-Departmental Group working on benefits and mental health and ask advice who could best speak on the issue. What steps are being taken to provide a seamless service for people with a mental illness who want to claim benefits. (Also invite Liz Sayce from DRC).

July 2002 Prison mental health
Agreed to invite Prof. John Gunn/ Dr John O’Grady and a MACA representative working in prison mental health. Should also focus on after-care for released prisoners.

October 2002 Possible event/reception in Speaker’s House, perhaps linked with reform of the Mental Health Act and timed just before Queen’s Speech. Also agreed to invite Genevra Richardson to talk about progress of reform of MHA. Perhaps a joint event hosted by APG and the Mental Health Alliance.

November 2002 Hyphen – 21’s code of conduct
This meeting would also consider role and standards of mental health professionals and the balance of patients rights and confidentiality.