It seems that in two key areas there are positive signs that the mental health system is recognising it needs to do better. In my local NHS Trust at least, doctors are now required to give patients a run down of side effects of the drugs they are prescribing. I recently saw my doctor, and was prescribed a new drug. She got out the BNF book (the British National Formulary - the reference book for drugs), and ran off a very long list of known side effects. It read like a very horrific medical accident, but it was important to do this. However, it also means that patients can't claim they didn't know about the drugs side effects before agreeing to take it. At that point of desperation, when a patient feels they need something to help them, who is going to turn it down based on side effects? However, I have in the past turned down medication because of unnecessarily high risk, due to side effects. But many patients won't.
Secondly there are plans a-foot to allow advocates to come in with patients when seeing a doctor, so that patients can ensure that they get good advice, and another perspective to their care, other than their doctors. There is a new law going through parliament (which I myself haven't had a chance to read yet), but you can take a look at here: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/mentalhealthdiscriminationno2.html. This law also states that people who have been sectioned for longer than six months, cannot be barred from becoming MP's and company directors.
No comments:
Post a Comment