100 signatures reached
To: MinIster for Health Norman Lamb MP
Support for independent mental health service user and carer involvement in Cornwall
Please ensure,as Minster for health,that Cornwall has the right to an active and effective,'' independent service user and carer's involvement body'' for those with mental health conditions who are currently being severely let down across every aspect of the service.
Why is this important?
Mental health deserves equality with physical health.
Service user involvement in the form of tokenism is unacceptable but none at all is shameful in 2014.
Health And Social Care Act 2001
''Section 11: Public involvement and consultation.
66. Section 11 confers on each Health Authority, Primary Care Trust and NHS trust a new statutory duty to make arrangements with the aim of involving patients and the public in the planning and decision making processes of that body, in so far as they affect the operation of the health services for which the body is responsible. In relation to Health Authorities, this would cover both the hospital and community health services for which they are responsible and the family health services provided by practitioners in their area''
Mental health must have parity with physical health services and the same legal entitlement to user involvement .Cornwall's complete absence of a meaningful independent voice for service users and carers is putting lives at risk, causing a huge rise in self harm and needless loss of lives.
