ePolitix.com - Forum Brief: Mental Health

Depression is to be officially recognised as a disability and covered by anti-discrimination legislation for the first time.

Andrew Smith, the secretary of state for work and pensions, said that the groundbreaking legislation, to be included in a new Disability Discrimination Bill, would make Britain a world leader in the field.

Andrew Smith, the secretary of state for work and pensions, said : "In years to come, the treatment of disabled people typical of the 19th century - and still too often the case today - will be seen as an affront to their humanity. It is the last great cause of emancipation of our time.

"The reform aims to strengthen the Draft Disability Discrimination Act, published in December 2003, and in particular to ensure that people with mental illnesses are properly protected.

"We don’t have the ‘clinically well recognised’ requirement to other conditions, so why should we apply it to mental health.

"Instead, consideration will be given to how long a person has been suffering mental ill- health. The general rule is that the person must have suffered the condition for at least 12 months."

Bert Massie, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, said: "The move would end the “perverse injustice” of the current Act, which deprives people with mental health problems of the same protection under law as other disabled people."

A spokesman for the Disabilities Trust said: "The Disabilities Trust welcomes news that the government has agreed to accept most of the recommendations made by the joint parliamentary committee on the draft Disability Discrimination Bill and to include mental health problems within its remit.

"In particular we're glad the Minister has recognised that depression does not need to be 'clinically well recognised' in order for people to be covered against discrimination.

"Our only disappointment is that the government still appears to regard twelve months, rather than six, as the minimum length of time a persons' mental health problem has to have been acknowledged.

"The Trust itself is a member of the New Spirit Coalition which comprises a wide cross-section of disability groups that have come together to campaign on the Bill.

"The NSC has been determined to ensure that mental health problems (and particularly depression) are included in the Bill.

"Although mental health problems can be difficult to detect, it is important to ensure that individuals with this often hidden condition receive the same protection under the law as other disabled people.

"The next step now is for the government to try to ensure there is enough parliamentary time to get the legislation onto the statute book before the next general election."

Jim Thomson, chief executive, Depression Alliance said: "