Chamber
Plenary, 14 Nov 2001
14 Nov 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Mental Health Law
Many members will be aware that, over many years in my previous employment, I gained much experience of mental health services in Scotland, particularly in the west of Scotland. That included experience of the many Victorian institutions that are now closed. I have seen at first hand the failure of the current legislation to meet the needs and aspirations of service users. I agree that there is a crying need for effective new mental health legislation that will address the needs of today's service users, their families and society.
The response of the public to mental illness is dramatically different from their response to physical illness. That has been shown by the many sick jokes about mentally ill people that have often disfigured conversations and even comedians' performances over many years.
Presiding Officer, I am sure that if you walked down the Mound with a large stookie on your leg, you would attract a great deal of sympathy from passers by. However, if, God forbid, you had a car accident that led to head trauma and left you exhibiting what is often called challenging behaviour, the reaction would be very different.
The response of previous generations has been to drive mental illness into the shade. We in the chamber all accept that that response is no longer acceptable. It is difficult for anyone to admit to having or having had mental illness, which can come in many forms. It is even difficult for families to admit that a family member is a sufferer.
As a society, we must address our response to mental health. We must begin to treat it as we would treat a physical illness. We must care for and acknowledge those who suffer from this illness and ensure that their many skills are not lost to our society by shutting them away from their communities. That is easy to say and if our society was one unit we could deal with the matter easily and quickly. However, Scotland is made up of more than 5 million individuals, who all have their own experiences, links and attitudes. We have come together as a society, but we need to give individuals information that will reform their attitudes and make our society more caring towards mental illness.
This is a society issue. On mental illness, we are still faced with the battle for the hearts and minds of the Scottish people. We can legislate as much as we want on the structures of caring for the mentally ill, but if we do not accompany that with a massive education process to change people's attitudes to such illnesses we will have failed those who will suffer in silence and in the background. Such education campaigns work. We need only remember the attitudes towards drinking and driving before the introduction of campaigns on that issue to recognise the value of such campaigns.
Therefore I look forward to hearing the minister's comments about the Executive proposals on that issue when he responds to the debate. Now as never before, we have an opportunity to change the Scottish perception of mental health. We must grasp that opportunity with both hands and take the next major step towards making the new Scotland an even more caring society for all those sufferers of mental health problems.
The response of the public to mental illness is dramatically different from their response to physical illness. That has been shown by the many sick jokes about mentally ill people that have often disfigured conversations and even comedians' performances over many years.
Presiding Officer, I am sure that if you walked down the Mound with a large stookie on your leg, you would attract a great deal of sympathy from passers by. However, if, God forbid, you had a car accident that led to head trauma and left you exhibiting what is often called challenging behaviour, the reaction would be very different.
The response of previous generations has been to drive mental illness into the shade. We in the chamber all accept that that response is no longer acceptable. It is difficult for anyone to admit to having or having had mental illness, which can come in many forms. It is even difficult for families to admit that a family member is a sufferer.
As a society, we must address our response to mental health. We must begin to treat it as we would treat a physical illness. We must care for and acknowledge those who suffer from this illness and ensure that their many skills are not lost to our society by shutting them away from their communities. That is easy to say and if our society was one unit we could deal with the matter easily and quickly. However, Scotland is made up of more than 5 million individuals, who all have their own experiences, links and attitudes. We have come together as a society, but we need to give individuals information that will reform their attitudes and make our society more caring towards mental illness.
This is a society issue. On mental illness, we are still faced with the battle for the hearts and minds of the Scottish people. We can legislate as much as we want on the structures of caring for the mentally ill, but if we do not accompany that with a massive education process to change people's attitudes to such illnesses we will have failed those who will suffer in silence and in the background. Such education campaigns work. We need only remember the attitudes towards drinking and driving before the introduction of campaigns on that issue to recognise the value of such campaigns.
Therefore I look forward to hearing the minister's comments about the Executive proposals on that issue when he responds to the debate. Now as never before, we have an opportunity to change the Scottish perception of mental health. We must grasp that opportunity with both hands and take the next major step towards making the new Scotland an even more caring society for all those sufferers of mental health problems.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-2438, in the name of Susan Deacon, on renewing mental health law, together with an amendment to that moti...
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Susan Deacon):
Lab
I am pleased to speak to the motion and proud to lead a debate on such an important issue.This afternoon we are debating the Executive's proposals for renewi...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Before I call Nicola Sturgeon to move her amendment, once again I ask those who wish to take part to press their request-to-speak buttons, because I have to ...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome today's debate. I have no doubt that there will be considerable consensus across the chamber about the Scottish Executive's proposals. I agree with...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Before I call the representatives of the other two parties, I advise members that the time limit on back-bench speeches will be five minutes.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
As our business today started with a mention of the patron saint of mothers, on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I congratulate the Minister for Health ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I do not think that it is an arrival as yet. Is it an arrival?
Mary Scanlon:
Con
Did you not know, Presiding Officer? I am not implying anything saintly about the minister, but I am delighted about the news of her new arrival.We are delig...
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I congratulate the minister on her impending happy event and pay tribute to the lengths to which she is prepared to go to scrutinise Scotland's maternity ser...
Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab):
Lab
Many members will be aware that, over many years in my previous employment, I gained much experience of mental health services in Scotland, particularly in t...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I am pleased that the minister has now decided to join my campaign to reverse Scotland's declining birth rate. I wish her all the very best over the coming m...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I want first to echo the sentiments that the minister expressed in her speech and to add my support to the motion that is before us.One in four people in Sco...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I wish the Minister for Health and Community Care continuing good health.We can welcome the Executive's policy statement with commitment and enthusiasm, beca...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I feel as though I am participating in a discussion rather than in a debate; I am pleased about the consensual approach that the Parliament is adopting on th...
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
Like others, particularly Margaret Ewing, I very much welcome today's debate on what is an important subject. The Parliament's second bill on mental health w...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I add my congratulations to the minister on her impending good news. My business manager gave birth to a fine bouncing baby last month; I am sure that she wo...
Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab):
Lab
I declare that I am still a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatry and I am a member of SAMH.The Millan report is a patient, thorough and comprehensive re...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
From now, speeches are down to four minutes.
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
Presiding Officer, thank you for chopping off the last page of my speech.I join the prevailing consensus in the chamber and welcome the Millan report and the...
Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Members will be well aware of this week's coverage of my daughter Suzy's current problems with an eating disorder. I therefore intend to talk principally abo...
Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will address two matters, one of which is advocacy, to which others have referred. Individual advocacy has been discussed, and I do not doubt that the mini...
Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab):
Lab
In the spirit of consensus that is prevailing today, I will begin by welcoming all the speeches that have been made during the debate. In particular, I want ...
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD):
LD
I, too, congratulate the minister on the announcement of her pregnancy—there has certainly been consensus on that today. There has been consensus throughout ...
Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
The Scottish Conservatives welcome the opportunity to debate the proposals for new legislation on mental health. Mary Scanlon underlined our commitment to th...
Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
The debate has been productive and worth while. There has been much agreement and we are extremely pleased that the SNP's amendment has been accepted. Long m...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
The debate has been excellent and, as Margaret Ewing put it, a shining example of what the Parliament is about.There have been continual references to the wi...