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Our meeting next week and update on Mental Health Act review

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We'll be meeting next Wednesday 9th May from 6 - 7:30pm at MadLab. Whether you've been coming to the group for years or have never been, we're here to give you a warm welcome and a friendly ear. Free tea, coffee and biscuits for all.

MadLab is located on Edge Street in the Northern Quarter just a short walk from Piccadilly Station, Piccadilly Gardens and Shudehill Metrolink. See MadLab's 'how to find us' page for more: 

Our speaker for May's meeting: Jackie Pickup
Jackie will be talking about her work to encourage use of therapeutic treatment, rather than medication. Having completed some research about 'PRN' medication ('as needed' mediation - medication that is given for a specific situation, rather than taken routinely) she has set up an information campaign within the trust to increase therapeutic interventions as an alternative to PRN medication. 
Jackie qualified as a mental health nurse in 2005 and worked in adult acute inpatient care at Meadowbrook till 2015.  Following this she worked in an Approved Premises as a CPN working with male offenders whom were on licence from Custody.

Advance notice of Rethink Mental Illness Manchester Group AGM
Our AGM will take place at our June meeting and will run from 6:15 - 6:30pm, allowing plenty of time for our informal meeting.
Agenda:
- Finance report
- Committee: none of our committee members' terms are up so there will be no elections taking place this year.
- Any other business.
Please let us know by email at rethinkmanchester@gmail.com no later than Wednesday 30th May if you have any items for the agenda .

Update on Independent Review of the Mental Health Act
This week interim report was published from the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act being chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely. Whilst this is only an interim report into the ongoing review, the report makes clear that the 35 year act is outdated, fails to respect people's rights and dignity and often prevents people having a say on how they are treated. 

Although the mental health Act review is ongoing, The interim report identifies where recommendations are likely to come in the final report due to be published early next year:
  • Greater involvement for the patient and family members and carers
  • Reduced disparities between diverse group (such as with more BAME male’s being sectioned)
  • Reforms of community treatment orders
  • Greater use of advocacy, but with steps to demystify the different types of advocacy
  • Ensuring aftercare is effective
  • Interaction between mental health care and the justice system
  • Ensuring that the dignity and respect for people with mental health is taken into account at all times

To input into Rethink's work on the Act: https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/campaigns/share-your-story-of-the-mental-health-act
More on Rethink's work on the Act: https://www.rethink.org/news-views/2018/04/act-for-mental-health-our-response-to-the-interim-report

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