The Mental Health Act and Me

The government has finally released its recommendations on how to modernise the Mental Health Act. The act is used to detain - section - someone if they are considered to be a risk to themselves or others. Many of the recommendations focus on ensuring patients are seen as individuals who should be involved in discussions about their medication and treatment plans. Raf was sectioned at 18 and spent five years in a forensic mental health unit receiving treatment for schizoaffective disorder which has similar symptoms to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Learning support assistant Ashley was detained under the Mental Health Act twice, once in January 2018 and then in June 2018. For this BBC Ouch special, Ashley and Raf share their experiences of being detained under the act. Presented by Beth Rose. Produced by Beth Rose and Keiligh Baker. If you’d like to get in contact with the team, email ouch@bbc.co.uk. You can hear our latest podcast by saying “Ask the BBC for Ouch” to your smart speaker, plus you can listen and subscribe on the BBC Sounds app.