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Lobbying the Decision Makers

Lobbying the Decision Makers. Lyn Boyd and Gayle Brown. MHNE – An Overview. Small Charity – 3 part time staff & volunteers 360 Member organisations VCS organisations with an interest in mental health and well being

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Lobbying the Decision Makers

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  1. Lobbying the Decision Makers Lyn Boyd and Gayle Brown

  2. MHNE – An Overview • Small Charity – 3 part time staff & volunteers • 360 Member organisations • VCS organisations with an interest in mental health and well being • Advice, support, information sharing, research, training, events, lobbying

  3. Why Lobby? To Influence Policy and Practice Current economic and political situation • Changes to Local Authority and NHS • Funding Cuts • Personalisation • No Health without Mental Health • Benefits

  4. David v Goliath Possible Constraints • Capacity • Lack of Funds • Geographic Base • Stature – small regional charity • Perception of North East • Time – to build up media & other contacts • Response Time

  5. How MHNE lobbies Consult with our Members • Brief Councillors, MPs and Lords • Press Releases • Website • E bulletins • Social media – facebook and twitter • Write letters and emails • Events • Ask for help from our friends

  6. ATOS/ ESA Campaign Changes to Benefit System- Reasons for this campaign • Reports and concerns from member organisations about the initial assessment of ESA applications • Individuals contacting MHNE in very distressed conditions needing support prior or following assessments • To research how widespread these concerns are and to raise this issue at the highest levels • To examine the impact of the ESA and appeals process from a social, economic, psychological and physiological perspective The Government Claims these changes will rid the system of fraud and abuse – and make it fairer on the tax payer “I think it was the right policy to do because there had been people sitting for over ten years on sickness benefit and no-one had ever seen them” Ian Duncan Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)

  7. Timetable of campaigning process • Survey compiled and sent out to all members • Following requests new survey designed specifically for service users and distributed • Consulted local MP’s, welfare rights organisations etc • Collection and collation of results • Briefing of MP’s and media, press release • Hardest Hit event • Discussed in Parliament • In process of reporting the findings Throughout we have researched the issues surrounding ESA and reported on a regular basis via our website and information bulletins

  8. Result MHNE’s concerns raised in debate in House of Commons • Hansard Extracts- (see handouts) • Tremendous feed back from a wide range of sources • Steve Bell agreed use of his cartoon • Raised Profile for future campaigns • Articles in newspapers – hmmm • Ongoing research and campaigning

  9. Thanks to Steve Bell

  10. In Conclusion A small organisation CAN have an impact! Any questions?

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