Labour pledges to reform Mental Health Act if elected
The Labour Party has pledged to reform the Mental Health Act 1983 if elected to power at the next general election.
Shadow health and social care secretary Wes Streeting told the House of Commons today that the party would introduce a bill to overhaul the act as part of its first legislative programme after polling day, which is due to take place by January 2025.
The news was welcomed by mental health bodies, in the light of the government’s decision – revealed in last week’s King’s Speech – to drop its manifesto pledge to reform the MHA during the current parliamentary term.
Criticism of government decision to shelve MHA reform
Social work leaders and charities heavily criticised the decision, saying it represented a missed opportunity to tackle high rates of detention, racial disparities in the use of the act and the inappropriate sectioning of autistic people and those with learning disabilities.
Streeting echoed these comments in a debate today on the NHS.
“The treatment of people with learning disabilities and autism under the current act shames our society,” he added.
“The disproportionate impact on black people, who are four times more likely to be sectioned than white people, is appalling. Prisons and police cells are no place for people with mental ill-health.”
Streeting said he could not understand why the government had “broken their promise” to amend the legislation and added that Labour would “reform the Mental Health act in our first King’s Speech”.
Labour’s promise comes with the party about 20 percentage points ahead of the Conservatives in opinion polls (source: UK Polling Report) and widely tipped to win an overall majority at the next election.
Labour pledge welcomed
The news was welcomed by psychiatrist Simon Wessely, who chaired the 2017-18 Independent Review of the Mental Health Act for Theresa May’s government.
Very welcome announcement from @wesstreeting on mental health act reform. There was widespread disappointment it disappeared from the King’s Speech so good to have this commitment. I hope that the support this had received from all the parties now resumes https://t.co/2VrLQcLC8Z
— Simon Wessely (@WesselyS) November 13, 2023
His sentiments were echoed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the charity the Centre for Mental Health, which tweeted: “We welcome Labour’s commitment today to modernise the Mental Health Act in its next general election manifesto. We’re calling on all political parties to take this step, so that this vital but outdated legislation is made fit for practice.”
Minister for care Helen Whately (Credit: Department of Health and Social Care)
In today’s House of Commons debate, care minister Helen Whately said the government remained committed to MHA reform.
“I recognise the disappointment that the mental health bill was not included in the King’s Speech, but I can assure honourable members that this government are committed to achieving genuine parity between mental health and physical health, improving the care of those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and bringing forward the bill when parliamentary time allows.”