Report of the Confidential Forum for Former In-Patients of Psychiatric Hospitals
Friday 20 July 2007, 9:29AM
By Mediacom
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I would like to acknowledge the Panel members Anand Satyanand, Patrick Mahony, Jan Dowland, Anne Helm, and Katharine Greig for their work over the last 2-3 years.
I would recommend everyone to read this very well written succinct report detailing the horrors of inpatient treatment both historical and current. 493 people cannot be wrong
It is interesting to note the majority of participants referred to experiences of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I am pretty sure, had people been able to, they would also have referred to their experiences of the 2000-2007.
Many said that they wanted the Government to know what had happened to them and to others.They hoped that the cumulative effect of the confidential narratives might effect changes in mental health services.
The 1992 Mental Health Act has done nothing to stop the human rights abuses or the dehumanizing experiences of current acute wards.
Seclusion is still used at best for behaviour modification and at worse for punishment. Many of my friends are under compulsory treatment orders, gaining wait, unable to enjoy sex, choose where they live, and are on maintenance programs with no hope of recovery. People entering Mental Health services under the Act have less rights than drunk drivers, they do not have access to peer support, advocacy or advice.
The lived experience of recovery is not valued, there are no Mad people within DHBs at a governance level with equal decision making power, pay parity or influence. Less than 1% of mental health money is going into employing people with lived experience within service delivery.
There are no Mad peolpe employed for their expertise within the Ministry of Health or the Mental Health Commission.
Until the sector recognizes institutionalization as one of the blackest periods in medical history and that services today still do a great deal of harm, injustices will continue.The whole sector needs to recognize that peer support, advice and advocacy significantly contribute to recovery and need to get committed to valuing the lived experience of madness.
It is no longer enough to have good intentions of helping the mentally ill, if the sector had listened to the people receiving services and valued what they were saying a great deal of harm would have been avoided.
This report will serve as a platform for change and the people that took the time to contribute will make a difference in minimalizing the impact of mental illness on generations to come.
Central Potential-Te Rito Maia, a regional systemic advocacy service, will make sure of this.
I would recommend everyone to read this very well written succinct report detailing the horrors of inpatient treatment both historical and current. 493 people cannot be wrong
It is interesting to note the majority of participants referred to experiences of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I am pretty sure, had people been able to, they would also have referred to their experiences of the 2000-2007.
Many said that they wanted the Government to know what had happened to them and to others.They hoped that the cumulative effect of the confidential narratives might effect changes in mental health services.
The 1992 Mental Health Act has done nothing to stop the human rights abuses or the dehumanizing experiences of current acute wards.
Seclusion is still used at best for behaviour modification and at worse for punishment. Many of my friends are under compulsory treatment orders, gaining wait, unable to enjoy sex, choose where they live, and are on maintenance programs with no hope of recovery. People entering Mental Health services under the Act have less rights than drunk drivers, they do not have access to peer support, advocacy or advice.
The lived experience of recovery is not valued, there are no Mad people within DHBs at a governance level with equal decision making power, pay parity or influence. Less than 1% of mental health money is going into employing people with lived experience within service delivery.
There are no Mad peolpe employed for their expertise within the Ministry of Health or the Mental Health Commission.
Until the sector recognizes institutionalization as one of the blackest periods in medical history and that services today still do a great deal of harm, injustices will continue.The whole sector needs to recognize that peer support, advice and advocacy significantly contribute to recovery and need to get committed to valuing the lived experience of madness.
It is no longer enough to have good intentions of helping the mentally ill, if the sector had listened to the people receiving services and valued what they were saying a great deal of harm would have been avoided.
This report will serve as a platform for change and the people that took the time to contribute will make a difference in minimalizing the impact of mental illness on generations to come.
Central Potential-Te Rito Maia, a regional systemic advocacy service, will make sure of this.