In March 2021, the Scottish Government announced its intention to introduce a human rights bill to the Scottish Parliament.  This will involve the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, into Scotland’s domestic law – a fundamental paradigm shift in mental health rights and frameworks that we’re very excited about.  The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) utilises universal, non-negotiable standards which can, in synergy with practice,  improve clinical and therapeutic outcomes for patients.  Our workshop uses an integrative, participatory approach in raising awareness of the implications of this fast-changing political and legal landscape for mental health practitioners and people who use services.

The training is informed by World Health Organization guidance and has been developed/is being delivered by people with lived experience of mental health issues, which we believe is central to an effective, reciprocal approach and the beneficial outcome of public policy development and law reform processes.  The engagement of those with lived experience of the relevant matters in service design, delivery and evaluation is an advancement which is increasingly seen amongst grant-distributors, legal practitioners and policy-makers, to transformative effect.  We at MORE-P also believe taking an intersectional perspective to diversity, equity and inclusion is integral to ensuring plurality of voice.