Mental Health Bill
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story can make all the difference.
About the bill:
This bill serves two functions:
The first is to create a universal standard of mental health provision to which all universities are subject. This gives them the responsibility to refer students with serious mental health problems to clinical services in a timely manner and provide a counselling service within the universities which will help students with less serious problems. The clinical services to which they can refer students will be subject to the same standards, which have the principle aim of reducing wait times.
The second function is to create a government watchdog to enforce said standard. The watchdog has the power to take organisations which have failed to adhere to the standard to court on behalf of the failed individual or their family if they so desire. In doing so, a database will be created so that organisations with structural problems will be identified and dealt with, and the success of universities and other organisations can be measured and published.
Our aims:
Our overarching aim is to improve the mental health provision available to students, with a view to expanding the policies to the benefit of all under-30’s and eventually older people. The main issue affecting mental health services is waiting times, so our main focus is to reduce these so that people in need can be seen in a timely manner.
“Mental health legislation cannot be partisan.”
— Jake Whittingham
“The main issue affecting mental health services is waiting times, so our main focus is to reduce these so that people in need can be seen in a timely manner.”
UCS
"I WAS DELIGHTED TO DISCOVER THAT A GROUP OF STUDENTS HAVE CREATED A BILL TO HELP IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS IS VITALLY NEEDED GIVEN THE ONGOING STATE OF POOR MENTAL HEALTH AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. THE BILL'S AUTHORS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF SUGGESTING SOME MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO HELP IMPROVE THE DIRE SITUATION, AND I GIVE THEM MY FULL SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN TAKING THIS FORWARD. I CALL ON ALL MPS TO SUPPORT THESE CHANGES IN THEIR CAPACITY FOR THE COLLECTIVE GOOD OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE."
— Stephen Fry