Is Mind's Text campaign patronising?

[Terry Skyrme]

Am I alone in finding Mind’s recent campaigns somewhat inadequate given the crisis in mental health services. Yes we need to combat stigma, and yes loneliness is a major problem in our society, and probably more so for those who suffer mentally, but I just find the recent radio campaign urging people to text someone with a mental illness just patronising. My experience of our Campaign to Save Mental Health Services is that people become more confident and stronger, less vulnerable if they unite with others and fight for their rights. Similarly I’m not a fan of personal budgets/ personalisation which has made it more difficult for service-users to access day facilities and drop-in centres, many of which have had their funding cut so that only those who can pay with a personal budget can attend. Real choice only begins when services are adequately funded on all levels. Similarly people need to know WHAT IS AVAILABLE before they can demand their rights. We are considering using the Campaign website to inform people of what is available in Norfolk and Suffolk for people struggling with mental disorder. Anyone interested in helping with this please get in touch.