{"id":6052,"date":"2015-10-01T13:22:29","date_gmt":"2015-10-01T12:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=6052"},"modified":"2015-10-04T13:05:08","modified_gmt":"2015-10-04T12:05:08","slug":"invisible-suffering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=6052","title":{"rendered":"Invisible suffering"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Unite EC member Joyce Still spoke on behalf of Unite at the final day of the Labour party conference today (September 30) on the pressing need for mental health service provision.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bMillions of people in this country day after day are dealing with anxiety, depression and paranoia in what becomes a personal prison,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is often invisible but the suffering experienced is significant.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe mantra that we must always be OK feeds the societal stigma of those experiencing mental health difficulties, which is said to be 1 in 4 of the population at some time in our lives,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Joyce added.<\/p>\n

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She explained the effects mental health difficulties can have on young people \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it can \u00e2\u20ac\u015bhold back their ability to learn, impede their chances of building friendships, can lead to bullying and damage the life chances of young people.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bDiscrimination in our labour market restricts those with mental health difficulties from gaining and keeping a decent job,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Joyce went on to say.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe disgraceful attacks on social security and benefits that are being repeatedly carried out by this Government are having a devastating impact on young people experiencing mental health difficulties most sharply.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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Joyce highlighted the government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u015bcruel sanctions regime\u00e2\u20ac\u0165, in which the \u00e2\u20ac\u015bpunitive and tick box assessment methods to determine if people should receive benefits\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 have made claimants mental health issues significantly worse.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThis has also been linked to suicide in some tragic cases,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said.<\/p>\n

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Joyce noted that in July, after refusing to say where the \u00c2\u014112 billion in welfare cuts would fall during the general election, Osborne announced that from April 2017 any disabled person claiming Employment and Support Allowance and placed in the Work Related Activity Group would receive the same benefit as those claiming JSA.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThese are people who the Government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s harsh regime will have deemed not currently able to work and they will lose \u00c2\u014129 a week because of these cuts,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bPeople in this situation and struggling to survive on benefits cannot afford this. Approximately a quarter of a million people with mental health problems will be affected.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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Joyce urged Conference to fight the government \u00e2\u20ac\u015bevery step of the way.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bMy union, Unite, and fellow NHS workers are looking forward to being part of the discussion to finally develop the positive mental health policy and action we need,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she concluded.<\/p>\n

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Watch Joyce’s full speech in the video below:<\/p>\n

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