Rosanna Cavallo, Anne Cooke, Adrian Delamore, Margaret Hobbs

1) There is a Maudsley debate on Wednesday February 19^th titled ‘Are we all mentally ill now?’ The motion is ‘ This house believes that the problems of everyday life are being over-medicalised.’ Entry is free and tickets will be available from the IOP entrance.

2) ‘Listen to the voices’ is a film currently being made by an independent film company. Sara is looking for a representative from the Critical Mental Health Group to discuss the group and also to discuss demonstrations organised by the group such as the August Demonstration about the Mental Health Act. In addition, they are seeking a practising psychiatrist who can give an apolitical viewpoint on how that mental health legislation may change the day to day role of the psychiatrist.

3) The group were made aware that letters forwarded to the DoH re; consultation regarding the Mental Health Bill appear to have been lost in transit.

4) The ‘Justice for Patients’ conference has been postponed to later on in the year. A list was distributed by Philip Dixon for those to add their names if interested in finding out more about Justice for Patients.

5) The government have recently published guidelines on the treatment of personality disorder. These may be available from the DoH or on the DoH website.

6) Louisa Cadman is planning a group to voice objections to the Mental Health Bill. In addition, she would like to interview people about their views regarding the mental health legislation.

7) Virtuall.org is advertising a conference on ‘Hearing Voices’. It is to take place at Senate House, Mallet Street on 10^th April. Places are free with a small penalty for those who book but do not attend..

8) NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) has published guidelines for working with those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The guidelines identify a need to consider alternative therapeutic input other than medication. Also, a change within the current Healthcare system was identified. Letters written about people in the health system should be copied to patients.

9) As new members were present, a review of the past two years was requested. The CMHF began in January 2000. Prior to this, there had been critical psychiatry meetings in London for those who wanted to discuss alternatives to psychiatry. The CMHF arose out of two issues: a need for a more central meeting and a feeling that people wanted more time for discussion, as opposed to a talk and questions. In addition, there was a felt need for talking and thinking time as well as time for campaigning and active work.

The group has been involved in demonstrations outside the Royal College of Psychiatry Annual Conference and the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries (both with Mad Pride and the Critical Psychiatry network) in order to illustrate a dissatisfaction with the overuse of drugs within psychiatry. Campaigning has also evolved around the Mental Health Bill. The aim of the group is to operate at a level of least bureaucracy.

10) This led to a discussion about how some members would like the group to have more power to lobby the Government and more concrete aims. Others discussed how it was quite useful to have an agenda and meet like-minded people. The group was not just about campaigning but a means of looking at practical alternatives regarding how mental health services could change, for example, the use of crisis housing.

Some group members felt that they wanted more co-ordination with other groups in London. However, it was noted that different cmhf members participated in many of those groups. Moreover, collating information on all the various groups would be a big task. Different groups had different interests and one value of the current group was that it enabled a range of people to meet.

11) Suggestions for future groups

Ethnicicty and sexuality in mental health

Crisis Housing and Drug free mental health care

Donnard White has experience of setting up support groups to help those with mental health problems and would be happy to discuss this.

Also there was a need to re-visit ground rules and addressing conflicts within and outside the group.

12) Planning future meetings; Louisa Mackrell has a list of those who are interested in planning future meetings. She will ask for volunteers to help plan the next five sessions and would in particular welcome offers from those who would like to chair the meetings as well as suggestions for speakers.

Next meeting is on March 19^th and will be chaired by Robin Hanau. Crispin Truman (Director, Revolving Doors Agency) to talk about the link worker scheme for people with MH problems in contact with the criminal justice system.