Dr. Michael Drumm:

I will add something to that as well, please. I remain hopeful that it will make a difference. Looking back at the 2001 Act, it was an improvement and, in fairness, made a significant positive impact but it is just not good enough and it needs to be changed.

Legislation is the benign dictator that shapes behaviour in a way that is appropriate and one hopes that resources follow. That is so much better. We have had A Vision for Change and we have had Change for the future – A Vision for Change ‘refresh’ in 2020 with an expert review group looking at it. We also have a team working document which the Mental Health Commission produced in 2010 which does not have the same clout, influence or ability to shift or nudge services in the right direction. This legislation does that. I remain exceptionally hopeful that that is exactly what it will do. We have to do that. It is about changing the culture and that legislation does that in a way that nothing else does.