By Danny Bowman
I am pleased to announce the start of Parliament Street’s mental health month starting 1st March 2017. Mental health has become one of the most important issues that our country needs to deal with in the 21st Century and has long been the poorer relative in our NHS and beyond.
Throughout this essential month Parliament Street will be rolling out key initiatives to help uncover the main injustices a large proportion of people suffering from mental illness experience and help support the necessary policy changes needed to put people with mental health problems on a fairer footing.
As mental health spokesperson for Parliament Street, I welcome this incredible initiative on mental health. I personally have experienced these injustices from the lack of mental health provision, stigma and discrimination and loss of opportunity. I believe that this month will play an important role in enabling us as a society to address these inequalities.
The Parliament Street team believes that in mental health it is not just about reducing the stigma,but also about improving the provision of care,support and treatment for mental health across the UK.
This is essential not only for this generation but for future generations to come.
Patrick Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer at Parliament Street says ‘I am delighted to announce our specific focus on issues within mental health throughout the month of March. It is an important step in the right direction and will help promote the reduction of stigma and discrimination around mental illness as well as giving key policy recommendations on mental health provision in the UK.’
Parliament Street will be hosting its first major event on mental health on the 16th March 2017 with a panel discussion. I will be chairing the event with panellists including the Director of Time to Change Sue Baker, Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent,Matthew Scott, award-winning mental health campaigner, Jonny Benjamin and Chairman of the BDD Foundation and leading therapist Dr. Rob Wilson.
Parliament Street has already made key findings regarding the amount of mental health incidents the police are dealing with in the UK which came to a staggering 296,773. These important research findings have appeared online across the country and I have discussed the implications of this research on LBC and BBC Essex.
Parliament Street is committed to making a difference and March will be full of exciting initiatives.We hope that the month will make positive strides towards helping those who suffer mental health problems across the UK and beyond.
Danny Bowman is mental health spokesman for Parliament Street
