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You are here: Home / Archives for Simon Wessely

Simon Wessely

Alarm over government’s choices to lead ‘over-diagnosis’ review that could help ministers cut benefits

By John Pring on 9th October 2025 Category: Politics

Alarm over government’s choices to lead ‘over-diagnosis’ review that could help ministers cut benefits
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The government’s decision to commission a review of alleged “over-diagnosis” of mental health conditions and neurodivergence has caused alarm among many disabled people, with fears that it will allow ministers to justify further sweeping cuts to disability benefits. There is also […]

Mental health reforms are ‘full of loopholes’ and will ‘uphold the status quo’

By John Pring on 18th August 2022 Category: Human Rights

Mental health reforms are ‘full of loopholes’ and will ‘uphold the status quo’
Listen

The government’s planned mental health reforms contain “far too many loopholes” and will retain a “fundamentally discriminatory” system, according to some of the first detailed concerns raised by disabled people. Three leading disabled campaigners have told Disability News Service this week […]

Rights concerns over major Mental Health Act reforms

By John Pring on 14th January 2021 Category: Human Rights

Rights concerns over major Mental Health Act reforms
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User-led grassroots groups have raised serious concerns about the government’s new mental health white paper, particularly its failure to offer the full human rights set out in the UN disability convention. The white paper, published yesterday (Wednesday), aims to deliver “major […]

Mental Health Act review ‘falls significantly short on human rights’

By John Pring on 6th December 2018 Category: Human Rights

Mental Health Act review ‘falls significantly short on human rights’
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A government-commissioned review* set up to modernise the Mental Health Act has been criticised for falling “significantly short” of recommending full human rights for people in mental distress. The review, published today (Thursday), includes 154 recommendations for improvements to the Mental […]

User-led alliance set to raise concerns for second time with Mental Health Act Review

By John Pring on 16th August 2018 Category: Human Rights

User-led alliance set to raise concerns for second time with Mental Health Act Review
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User-led groups and service-users are set to raise grave concerns about the work of the team reviewing mental health laws on behalf of the government, including its refusal to take a “full human rights-based approach” to reform. An alliance of user-led […]

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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Latest Stories

Scores of DWP failings linked to deaths were kept from MPs voting on benefit cuts, secret reports reveal

DWP staff ignored rules on how to respond to claimants who report suicidal thoughts, secret reports reveal

New official figures disprove claims that social security spending is ‘spiralling out of control’

Changes to energy bill discount scheme will discriminate against many disabled people, campaigners warn

Disabled peer hits back at claims of ‘filibustering’ over ‘vague’ and ‘poorly drafted’ assisted suicide bill

Government-owned train company has been failing on disability awareness training for more than four years

Government’s ‘generational’ SEND reforms will leave more children in segregated settings

SEND reforms ‘are a missed opportunity’ to dismantle the barriers driving disabled pupils from mainstream

Disabled activists call on Clooney to abandon movie that is set to paint Alzheimer’s as ‘fate worse than death’

Government’s advisers warn DWP minister he may need to ‘shift entrenched concerns’ over work reforms

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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