Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

NikNikSenior Contributor12 Mar 2015, 7:45 pm AEDT

Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) plans to strengthen advocacy by people with lived experience of mental illness, by training people to become advocates in their community. The action is planned to coincide in part with Schizophrenia Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day. The aim will be to arm up to 100 trained advocates with messages representative of the lived experience population, to give to key policy makers.

To ensure the views and issues are representative of people with lived experience, tonight we want to work with you, to ensure we’re on track.

We want to be clear that we are very keen to hear everyone’s thoughts and ideas, however, not all will be able to be incorporated into the campaign. Further consultation will be taking place, with common themes influencing the final outcome.

Please join myself and Executive Director of MIFA David Meldrum to discuss these priorities and have your opinions heard.

See you at 7pm AEDT

Please hit 'like' if we'll see you here tonight!

104 replies

41 - 50 of 104

1...4 5 6...11

In response to: Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

NikNikSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:11 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

@kenny , to clarify, do you mean geographic isolation?

In response to: Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

VivSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:13 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

peer support networks are wonderfully helpful. So you can be with others who understand. But of course, with BPD, because of the issues around relationships etc it isn't easy. Online support networks are a good way to manage this.

In response to: Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

ivanaSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:15 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

I'm a bit late to the discussion but my order would be:

1.Physical health

2.Access to services

3.Loneliness

4.suicide prevention and support

5.education for carers

Personally though,I see a different list of priorities which should include:

*Greater patient/"consumer" participation in decision making,both on a personal level (ie whether they agree with their diagnosis or what treatment method they want to take etc) and on a greater level.
Ie:"Consumers" should be consulted about mental health reform,what they would change in the provision of mental health services etc and their views listened to and applied.

*People with mental illnesses receiving the same rights as others and their rights being legally standing and not just "lip service".
Eg:police or security guards should not be allowed to use physical force on patients with mental illnesses-particularly male guards towards women-if they are not allowed on other patients such as Oncology patients.
In general,what needs to change is hospital staff treating psychiatric patients with more dignity,kindness,treating them with respect and respecting modest etc.

*We need doctors,both general and psychiatrists,to have a greater education and acknowledgment of the patient holistically.
Ie:The way medicine is practiced now, doctors take a patients symptoms as either physical or psychiatric.
In reality though many people can have psychiatric symptoms caused by many non DSM causes such as thyroid disorders,vitamin deficiencies,metabolic errors,encephalopathy etc.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

ivanaSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:15 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

The smiley shouldn't be there.

In response to: Topic Tuesday: What would you say to public policy makers?

MadelineCasual Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:16 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

This is way more difficult than it looks, chicken or the egg. I want to see more prevention programs. For the purposes of this excercise:

1. Access to services

2. Suicide prevention

3. Loneliness

4. Physical health

5. Education for carers

They are all interlinked, put them in a circle rather than a hierarchy.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

NikNikSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:17 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

As I have said before - don't feel rushed with your responses because I post a new question - it's just to ensure I get all the questions up before the end of our session at 9pm AEDT 🙂

Next is:

Physical Health

Statement:

People living with severe mental illness experience poor physical health and a shorter lifespan compared to the rest of the community due to a combination of primary illness, its treatment and the additional burden from other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Request

We want you to ensure that the physical health of people with severe mental illness is treated within the primary care sector as part of their usual care. We believe this action can limit the burden on tertiary care systems and extend life spans and quality of life.

So looking at the wording and content - how does that sit with people?

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

kenny66Senior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:18 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

Defintely geographic and distance to services. Like when I have an bad episode no abulance can get here on time so the police take me to the AandE.

More than basic hospital services are down the coast 8hrs. MI support services are virtually non existant unless you have private health cover and go to a private clinic which is super expensive.

Telephone support servies like Lifeline have to do for us if we dont want to go to AandE. People are a long way away so if you dont make an effort you can be very lonely

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

NikNikSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:20 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

Thanks @ivana for that insight.
PS: Really nice to 'see' you again 🙂

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

NikNikSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:21 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

Chicken and egg indeed @Madeline !
Welcome to the discussion and thanks for your input so far!

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

EllieSenior Contributor17 Mar 2015, 8:23 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday / TONIGHT / 7pm AEDT: What would you say to public policy makers?

That sits ok with me, remembering of course that a lot of the drugs used to treat mental illness reduce the lifespan of the recipient by around 10 years.

41 - 50 of 104

1...4 5 6...11