Mind comments on the Government's new Equality Bill

Posted Friday 27 June 2008

Mind Chief Executive Paul Farmer said:

"The litmus test for the new Equality Bill will be whether we see the eradication of discrimination on the grounds of mental health. Public attitudes towards people with mental health problems have actually got worse in recent years (1) and employers continue to discriminate against potential employees who have experience of mental health problems (2). We urgently need to reverse these trends."

"We welcome the new requirement for the public sector to report on the number of disabled staff they employ as a step in the right direction and hope that private sector businesses will follow suit. The measures outlined today should assist in promoting a fairer future for people with mental health problems."

 (1) Department of Health, Attitudes to Mental Illness Research Report (2008)

(2) Department for Work and Pensions, (2001) - only 37 per cent of employers say they would recruit someone with mental health problems

Notes to editors

Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We work to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress. 

For more information, interviews and a range of case studies please contact Mind press office on T: 020 8522 1743 M: 07850 788514 e: press@mind.org.uk ISDN line available: 020 8221 0817.

Please note that Mind is not an acronym and should be set in title case.

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