Chamber
Plenary, 14 Nov 2001
14 Nov 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Mental Health Law
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 would be happy to recommend the Simpson memorial maternity pavilion for the happy event.
I will start by taking up Margaret Smith's point on education. I have an optimistic and, I hope, generally sunny disposition, so it may surprise members to know that, while at university, I was treated briefly—effectively and chemically—for depression. I therefore have a small knowledge of the condition. I feel that the Executive must do all that it can to promote the teaching of mental health issues in schools, colleges and universities through social education.
I pay personal tribute to many organisations in Scotland. I cannot list all of them, but I pay particular tribute to SAMH, Mencap, Penumbra, mindscape and other organisations in Edinburgh and the Lothians. They are doing their best to highlight mental health issues and to get us to a point at which we can openly discuss them. People have mentioned broken legs and sprained ankles. I feel that, even now, it is easier to discuss cancer than it is to discuss mental health. As I think I have said before in the chamber, mental health is one of the last great taboos in general conversation round the dinner table.
When we started to move towards care in the community about 10 years ago and caring moved from the hospitals and places of secure care into the community, people could see little holes appearing in the net. Is the minister satisfied that all those holes have been closed or are being closed, especially in relation to the mental health of homeless people?
There is a need for some form of publicly available and accessible advocacy service for people who suffer from high levels of stress, anxiety, depression or—even more seriously—mental illness but who, at the same time, are engaged for personal, business or family reasons in litigation. It is extremely difficult for someone who is suffering from any kind of stress, depression or mental illness to engage in litigation. I know that I am not sticking to the subject—as it seems Des McNulty would like us to do—and that I am widening the debate still further. However, I wanted to mention the point about an advocacy service in this context.
Nicola Sturgeon said that there was no proposal for a title for the bill, but SAMH has said:
"We argued against the title ‘Mental Health Act' on a variety of grounds, including that this was inaccurate as the scope of the Act is wider than mental health. As the purpose of the Act is to regulate psychiatric care practice we think a more suitable title would be the ‘Regulation of Psychiatric Care Act'. This describes what the act does."
I will start by taking up Margaret Smith's point on education. I have an optimistic and, I hope, generally sunny disposition, so it may surprise members to know that, while at university, I was treated briefly—effectively and chemically—for depression. I therefore have a small knowledge of the condition. I feel that the Executive must do all that it can to promote the teaching of mental health issues in schools, colleges and universities through social education.
I pay personal tribute to many organisations in Scotland. I cannot list all of them, but I pay particular tribute to SAMH, Mencap, Penumbra, mindscape and other organisations in Edinburgh and the Lothians. They are doing their best to highlight mental health issues and to get us to a point at which we can openly discuss them. People have mentioned broken legs and sprained ankles. I feel that, even now, it is easier to discuss cancer than it is to discuss mental health. As I think I have said before in the chamber, mental health is one of the last great taboos in general conversation round the dinner table.
When we started to move towards care in the community about 10 years ago and caring moved from the hospitals and places of secure care into the community, people could see little holes appearing in the net. Is the minister satisfied that all those holes have been closed or are being closed, especially in relation to the mental health of homeless people?
There is a need for some form of publicly available and accessible advocacy service for people who suffer from high levels of stress, anxiety, depression or—even more seriously—mental illness but who, at the same time, are engaged for personal, business or family reasons in litigation. It is extremely difficult for someone who is suffering from any kind of stress, depression or mental illness to engage in litigation. I know that I am not sticking to the subject—as it seems Des McNulty would like us to do—and that I am widening the debate still further. However, I wanted to mention the point about an advocacy service in this context.
Nicola Sturgeon said that there was no proposal for a title for the bill, but SAMH has said:
"We argued against the title ‘Mental Health Act' on a variety of grounds, including that this was inaccurate as the scope of the Act is wider than mental health. As the purpose of the Act is to regulate psychiatric care practice we think a more suitable title would be the ‘Regulation of Psychiatric Care Act'. This describes what the act does."
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...