Miacat, I'm just wondering who in the WHO are wanting a ban placed on what you term "electroshock?" As one who works within the field of Mental Health, I know of several people for which ECT (electroshock to you) is the only way in which they can retain a degree of sanity. All the pills and potions have failed, so to the alternative theraphy. These people only get to a reasonable degree of "wellness" after having ECT (Electroconvolsive Theraphy). Without it they're practically non functional. It's been withdrawn by well meaning medical practicioners who totally disagree with ECT, but eventually, even they admit it's the last resort and the only thing that seems to work. Now, I'm not saying that there isn't a cause for their condition such as Alchemist has pointed out. I'm positive that many so called mental illnesses are caused by food additives or allergies, but sadly we don't have the expertise in general society to test all the theories or possibilities, so for now, ECT is the best we can do for them. And BOAZ_David, you're so right with your insight concerning institutions. In the major Victorian city in which I work, they had a large mental hospital. Approx 12 years ago, they removed the 1000 plus residents and threw them out into an uncaring public domain where many were and continue to be exploited. Some couldn't cope, even in assisted accomodation and now spend their days in crowded little wards, abandoned by both society and Government. How they must miss the days when they had their own little shop within the grounds where they could spend their pocket money as they saw fit and wander in secure open spaces enjoying the sunshine. What took the place of their old mental hospital?? A multi million dollar housing estate full of McMansions. Win for the Government who finally unloaded their "bottomless money pit" and a huge win for the developers who paid bugger all for the land and sold it for an overblown fortune.

Wildcat.

Forced drugging and ECT is far too common in Australia, where there is much knowledge and evidence of known alternatives.... and these alternatives.... you might have heard about (as other professionals have disclosed) when you began your training in the medical world, as a student.

a) Some information you requested is on http://www.miacat.com/

b) And here is the link for the web stories from Google and WHO news.

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:UNk87QCFQawJ:www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA59/A59_20-en.pdf%2B%22global%2Bemergency%22%2Bmental%2Bhealth&hl=en&gl=au&ct=clnk&cd=3&ie=UTF-8

And to the Australian Senate;

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:rIDd45SqvygJ:www.aph.gov.au/SEnate/committee/mentalhealth_ctte/submissions/sub002a_attach1.pdf%2B%22global%2Bemergency%22%2Bmental%2Bhealth&hl=en&gl=au&ct=clnk&cd=9&ie=UTF-8

Dr Benedetto Saraceno, has officially declared a "global emergency" in human rights on the mental health system.

Dr Benedetto Saraceno is Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Geneva, Switzerland for the World Health Organisation (WHO)

We need to broaden our minds in Australia, and include all forms of treatment, which include options presently being squeezed out by the domination of the pharmaceutical industry.

We could take much of the conflict out of this MH crisis in Australia if we attended to the fact found in reasonable arguments that affront legislative powers which presently work in opposition to the rights of consumers entangled in the net of Mental Health, being forced drugged/ECT, against their will.

Under a framework of “treatment” we burden the client and then drag them through a tiresome process of legalities (should they protest) with poor defense resources, when most client’s are only seeking an alternative system of support, especially at community levels.

My concern is to improve community infrastructures in a way that includes "consumers" through a process of "participation" and "inclusiveness" where there is supportive emphasis on recovery and wellness. I.e.: See Alma Ata Declarations descriptor 3 “Sharing Service Provision”.

I ask you to consider the value of education and building awareness of what Mental Health is about. I find the Mental Health Service system presently entraps those it wishes to assist the most, putting them often by force in a compromising situation that is not always in their best interests.

This is "traumatic", and has little to do with the idea of treatment and care!

Miacat,going through your site with the intensity it deserves will take me quite some time, so I'll not comment further at this stage. Thankyou for the information and links. Wildcat.

The issue of health is so complex and unfortunately, Julia's article (or extract rather) reads more like a jingoistic ad campaign for the ALP. Do the subject some justice (and the readers' intelligence) by addressing some of the more complicated and contradictary issues regarding health, including -

1. The more governments improve the "public" health system, the greater the demand. It is actually in government's (state) interest to not provide a first class health system - everyone will want it (because it is free).

2. This leads to the conundrum of health - demand will always exceed supply. The more improvements in health service provision, the more people will use it.

3. Involvement of the private sector is interesting - governments bleed financially by providing health services - but the private sector profits. Why is this? Because the private sector picks the most cost effective health services to provide. Governments seal their position in the "lose-lose" health equation by promoting private sector involvement. That's fine, so long as everyone knows what this really means.

Give us something new to read about on the issue of health. Develop some real strategies and some real policies. Explore greater the relationship between health infrastructure and health service provision. Make this a policy issue - not a soap box about the woes of the Howard Government. Aaargh, the ALP annoys me sometimes.