Closed petition Mental Capacity: empower parents to act for their mentally ill adult children

Closed on 6 November 2019

My 23 y/o son took his life earlier this year. He urgently needed mental health support but, because he was in denial, I was unable to get the NHS to him help. We need to amend the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) to empower parents/carers/advocates to get their adult children the help they need.

My son lost his father in 2015 to Esophageal Cancer and he never recovered from this devastation. Following this he was diagnosed with psychosis but was in denial about his health. I was told we cannot help you unless your son wants help, but he was too ill to realise this. I was blocked time and again. The MCA test must be amended to include: a patient's lack of insight into their own condition and inability to process information while they are acutely or chronically mentally unwell.