‘Meet the Real Daniel Blake’ short film with The Guardian. — The poor side of life

Around a month or so ago we spent three weeks filming with a journalist and film maker from The guardian. Having worked with The guardian before I held a certain level of trust with them because they have always been nothing short of brilliant. Always giving a fair and honest opinion and treating both ourselves […]

via Our short film with The Guardian. — The poor side of life

Read Full Post »

MIND Charity has been Working in JobCentres for some Time, on a DWP Contract!

I have just watched a Select Committee Session: Latest evidence
10 Oct 2016 – Work and Pensions Committee with the Education Committee – oral evidence

Here it is stated openly and categorically that MIND has been working via Gov Contract for the DWP for some time in JOB CENTRES.

The minister described how he had been made aware of this during a session in a Job Centre where he sat in on a training session. He told the committee that MIND was in the Job Centre on a regular basis, think he said at least once a week.

What also struck me, was that one of the ministers referred to more serious Mental Health Conditions as people with ‘MENTAL BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS‘ (he applied this term when referencing the ESA cohort).

Since when was the language changed in this manner?

Having a Mental Health Condition is one thing but to be labelled as having a Mental Behavioural Disorder is quite another. So much for the DWPs desire to eradicate Stigmatisation…!

I suppose the thinking behind this will be that if labelled as Behavioural, then its easier to get away with applying Behavioural Modification Techniques,

Previous Blogs relating to MIND and DWP

is-bristol-mind-now-a-corporate-business-model-based-on-neoliberal-ideology/?

Has MIND undergone a Corporate/Governmental Takeover?

Mind faces boycott call after policy and campaigns manager joins DWP : DNS.

I dont get much traffic on my site so Im hoping someone here can use this info to inform more people of whats going down with MIND>

Read Full Post »

MP for Bath to run a ‘Mental Health Surgery Hub’ offering ‘Social Prescriptions’ for constituents with Mental Health Problems!

I regularly receive emails from our local MP Mr Ben Howlett, a newly elected Conservative MP.

As a new member of the Labour Party, I find it a bit odd to be receiving these emails, but nevertheless, its a good way to keep an eye on what he is up to in Bath.

I find I am most disturbed to find him to be offering the following…. I quote (I have emboldened the part which I find disturbing).

“Since my election in May I have been surprised at the number of my constituents with different mental health issues, so much so I am looking to run a surgery ‘hub’ with a mental health specialist so people can drop in and have their needs assessed and be issued with a form of ‘social prescription’.  I recognise many mental health issues are caused or exacerbated by social factors so sometimes a social solution can be more effective than a medical one.”

Questions:

Who is the ‘mental health specialist’ to be running this ‘surgery’ with Mr Howlett?

What are their qualifications?

What form will this ‘Social Prescription’ take?

Will both Ben and the specialist be bound by the Hippocratic Oath?

What is the real agenda going on here?

I have serious concerns about this.

Will this be yet another roll out of the Governments modified CBT program? perhaps an idea born out of the now privatised Behavioural Insights Team aka Nudge Unit?

and my final question,

What the hell is going on here.

It may be that Ben Howlett has honourable intentions and a genuine desire to help mental health sufferers in Bath, I don’t dispute that possibility but from what I have seen of him he appears to be a rather young inexperienced and naive Tory MP.

I wonder why he would think it acceptable to take on such a role, ie, that of a psychiatrist and potentially dishing out dodgy prescriptions.

Are the BMA in approval of this venture?  or even aware of it?

Since when did we give our government permission to take on the roll of a doctor.

Please circulate.

It may be that other Conservative constituencies are being offered the same psychological treatment via the back door of Conservative Headquarters?

Comments and Thoughts Welcome

Read Full Post »