Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Making mental health services more humane and efficient

An open letter to the media about mental health services is available to sign. It highlights the following:-

  1. lack of confidentiality in services eg. on mental health helplines 
  2. more information needed for patients eg. about psychiatric treatment 
  3. differences between psychiatry and the rest of medicine should not be minimised 
  4. patients' mental capacity, their will and preferences need to be taken more into account
  5. the dangerousness of people with mental health problems is exaggerated
Psychiatric practice should no longer be based on the notion that primary mental illness will be found to have a physical cause, but move on to a more personal, relational practice.

2 comments:

  1. "Psychiatric practice should no longer be based on the notion that primary mental illness will be found to have a physical cause, but move on to a more personal, relational practice.":

    Both.

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  2. I think pschyatrists need to believe their patients more when it comes to reporting adverse side affects as real and also far more open to listening and understanding and helping patients concerns and to become more benzo and z drug withdrawal aware and more availably supportive . I am 72 have had mebtal health all life. They do not like challenges or questions and certainly have no time for older people and a 2nd opinion psych said we cannot help this lady anymore after 35 yesrs of so many drugs she had reactions too stopped taking ot cut doses eetc

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