Urgent! Join in Advocacy on mental health and the NHI

Psychologists and psychoanalysts are amongst the many mental health practitioners who this week made submissions to the government about the proposed National Health Insurance Bill.

Although aspects of the Bill have been welcomed, there are many concerns about it, especially with regard to the framing and implementation of mental health policies and practices.

The SA Psychoanalysis Initiative (Sapi) and the SA Psychoanalytical Association (Sapa) are amongst a number of organisations which earlier this year formed the National Mental Health Alliance Partnership (NMHAP). The NMHAP is a coalition of individuals and groups concerned about the crisis in mental health and dedicated to realizing access to quality mental health care in South Africa. Member organisations include Section 27, the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, the Rural Health Advocacy Project, the Wits Mental Health Project, SA Depression and Anxiety Support Group, SA Society of Psychiatrists and the SA Mental Health Federation.

The NMHAP submitted a collective response about its concerns regarding how the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI) proposes to manage and treat people with mental health disorders and disabilities. The NMHAP points out that the NHI fails to take into account the National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013-2020, which is the government’s blueprint for mental health services in the country. Additionally, the NHI is deficient and controversial in many other aspects.

Government’s failures on the mental health front, of which the Life Esidimeni disaster and the human rights violations of patients at the Tower Hospital in the Eastern Cape are the most recent examples, point to a great need for all mental health practitioners to be informed about, and involved in, advocacy, mental health policy and planning, and its implementation.

Additionally, Sapi and Sapa, (joined by GRASP - Groups for the Reading and Appreciation of Psychoanalysis) are among many NMHAP organisations that made separate submissions to government. The Sapi-Sapa submission highlighted evidence that shows psychoanalytic psychotherapies to be more effective in the long term than Cognitive Behavioural Therapies.

Another national organisation, the People’s Health Movement, which is made up of grassroots health activists, civil society groups and academic institutions particularly from developing countries, also contributed important research on the current debate around the NHI. The PHM this week urgently called on its members and the public to sign its petition to extend the date for NHI submissions beyond the 21 September deadline.

To be informed, alert and engaged:

1. Read about the NHI and policies affecting mental health practitioners and people with mental health illnesses and disabilities www.health-e.org.za /wp- content/uploads/2014/10/National-Mental-Health-Policy-Framework-and-Strategic-Plan-2013-2020.pdf
2. Join the Sapi-Sapa Research and Advocacy group. Contact Lauren Gower lauren.gower@live.co.za or Coletta Canale coletta.canale@gmail.com. Visit the Sapi-Sapa website www.sapsychoanalysis.org
3. Sign the PHM’s petition www.phm-sa.org . The PHM has an excellent accessible archive on the NHI and other related health issues.
4. Read the submissions on the NHI from: The South African Psychoanalytic Confederation (SAPC) and Sapi-Sapa-Grasp
5. Watch this space: I will post submissions from Section27 and the NMHAP shortly.

Lauren Gower is a clinical psychologist who works in private and community settings. In her clinical practice, sees individuals, couples and families. Lauren was previously a journalist reporting on health and politics, and a sub-editor for a number of publications including the Rand Daily Mail, the Sunday Express and Business Day.