Poll Shows That Public Don’t Support Mental Health Bill

The controversial amendments to the Mental Health Bill put forward by the government are not supported by the public according to a recent YouGov poll.

Commissioned by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), the poll showed that a whopping 72 per cent those surveyed do not think that people with mental health problems should be forced to have ‘treatment’ from which they cannot benefit.

In addition, 68 per cent said they did not believe that hospitals should be used to detain people with mental health problems if they cannot benefit from treatment and have not committed a crime.

Professor Sheila Hollins, president of the RCP, said that the poll’s results proved that the public had grave reservations about the new proposals being pushed through by the government.” The British people clearly understand many of the issues around mental health and are sympathetic towards people with mental health problems,” she said.

“The House of Lords has made some very sensible amendments to the Bill, which if retained would lead to fair and effective mental health legislation fit for the 21st Century. “We call on the government and all MPs not to overturn these amendments in the Commons,” Professor Hollins concluded.