Centre for Mental Health is delighted to announce that its newly formed Commission for Equality in Mental Health will be chaired by Liz Sayce.
The Commission will investigate a range of inequalities in mental health and seek policy and practice solutions to address them. The members of the Commission will seek evidence about why there are so many stark, longstanding inequalities in mental health, what might help to overcome them, and what is needed nationally and locally to bring about sustained and significant change.
Liz’s career has focused on mental health, social inclusion, equality and disability rights. Previous roles have included Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, Policy Director of Mind, Director of Policy and Communications at the Disability Rights Commission and Trustee of Stonewall. Her book ‘From Psychiatric Patient to Citizen’ has influenced campaigns to overcome discrimination and she has led numerous initiatives and formal investigations to challenge discrimination in all its forms.
Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sarah Hughes said:
I am delighted that Liz Sayce has agreed to chair our Commission for Equality in Mental Health. Her exceptional track record in promoting equality and human rights in a range of areas gives Liz a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to this role.
We have been extremely fortunate to bring together a group of people with an extraordinary breadth of experience to be members of the Commission. Their combined knowledge and understanding, from personal and professional experience of a range of issues, will ensure that the Commission explores inequalities in mental health from many different perspectives and generates ideas for change that will challenge established policy and practice for many years to come.
Liz Sayce said:
I am delighted to be working with Centre for Mental Health to explore inequalities in mental ill health. From tackling the social and economic determinants of mental health to improving the help offered to marginalised groups of people by mental health services, the Commission’s agenda is wide ranging and ambitious. We will look widely for solutions, seeking evidence from different sectors and internationally about what could make a difference to people’s lives.
The Commission begins work in July 2018 and will conclude at the end of 2019. Funding for the Commission’s work has been generously granted by the Elliott Simmons Charitable Trust.
The full list of Commission members is:
- Liz Sayce – Chair
- Catina Barrett
- Jane Bremner
- Nathan Dennis
- Nisha Dogra
- Cllr Jacqui Dyer MBE
- Umar Kankiya
- Peter Molyneux
- Karen Newbigging
- Syena Skinner
- Mark Trewin
- Anastasia Vinnikova
- David Walker
- Jenny Yates
