To
Elizabeth.Denham@ico.org.uk

icocasework@ico.org.uk

COMPLAINT - BLACK LIVES MATTER

Hello

Thank you for your email + all you do …

I expect you know BAME + people of colour are over represented in the mental health system ?

New podcast: Covid-19, racism and the roots of health inequality

Black thrive discuss how we are not involved in what data is collected + how it is interpreted .....

This recent article maybe of interest ?

Society / Psychiatrists urge new leader to rid profession of institutional racism

You may also be interested in our recent petition ?

Abolish the Mental Health Act – PETITION – PLEASE SIGN!

If you think it is a good idea please sign + promote ?

We are currently using the freedom of information act to gather information around restraints , electro convulsive treatment , seclusion , meds errors + serious incidents

We are asking questions relating specifically to people of colour ( apologise if this is not the correct term) to demonstrate institutional problems ?

It is an expansion of ongoing work ...

Here is a video that hopefully explains

This information from the charity INQUEST maybe relevant?

INQUEST - Truth Justice + Accountability – Sheku + Sean + Seni  + Anthony +

Deborah Coles of INQUEST told the Independent 
“Such data is meaningless without the broader context and disaggregation by gender, age, ethnicity, place of death and providers, including private providers.
Ultimately, the stronger the data analysis, the greater the opportunity to implement changes to safeguard lives.”

INQUEST
We were dismayed that neither the CQC nor NHS England were able to give a clear indication as to whether instances of forcible restraint and solitary confinement had increased or decreased during this period, despite the requirements of the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Bill, known as “Seni’s Law” which requires mental health units to publish data on how and when physical force is used.
We have written to the Minister for State for Patient Safety, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention raising a number of concerns.
 
If I have understood this information correctly, by not providing this information Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust is not complying with Seni’s law? or adopting best safeguarding practise?
 
I should not have to pay for this data or be excluded from this data - given that some of the questions relate to BAME / people of colour ...
I attended a ZOOM meeting involving researchers from LSE.

They made an important point, in my opinion, if information is not being gathered there is a problem.

If Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust does not report / gather this information it does not think these issues are important?

The questions were compiled with the help of several people with lived experience, so Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust does not work collaboratively with us? as equals?

To conclude, many people think Trusts should have already gathered / reported this information publicly, so the cost should be minimal ...

Four London Mental Health Trusts did provide the data in its entirety last year.

The data speaks for itself.
Each admission, Electro convulsive treatment, restraint, each seclusion, each serious incident, each medication error is a human rights abuse.

We just need to listen?
Alexis Quinn?

Act wisely?
We are not using public money – our money well (each admission costs at least £18K)
We need to learn from Italy, Finland, Manchester and others.

Work together?
How will we put the change we need into action? not just strategy papers?
We need the other part of this “picture” the data from the Haven and community.

In summary my aims are ...
All Mental Health Hospitals should be closed as per Italy; the Haven/ respite/ Home Group model should be adopted - which is part of the NHS long term plan.
 
The Mental Health Act should be abolished, one of the few areas of law where you can be locked away for something you may do, by people who have a vested interest in locking you away
(James Davies work CRACKED why psychiatry is doing more harm than good is relevant here?)

You may also be interested in our recent petition?
 
Abolish the Mental Health Act – PETITION – PLEASE SIGN!

People should be supported to come off psychiatric drugs if this is their wish ...

Move from a Medical model of distress to a social / Human Rights model of distress ...

From Paternalism to human rights ...

Citizen assemblies, community right to buy, community commissioning, participatory budgeting?

I now wish to raise this as a complaint with the ICO

Hope you have a great 2020

In love + solidarity

Wendy Micklewright