I feel rather guilty for not keeping up with my blogging this last few days. I have the excuse I was away ill last week but this week I have been busy two afternoons and evenings with Grand Committee in the Moses Room on the Health and Social Care Bill. The Moses Room is an extravagantly decorated committee room with 3 enormous wall size Victorian paintings, the main one of Moses bringing down the ten commandments from Mount Sinai. One addresses all one’s remarks to some very fine sandalled feet.

Although the proceedings are just as formal as in the main chamber the intimacy of the smaller room, the jostling of all political sides along two opposing but near rows of tables makes for more congenial debate. But we are going very slowly indeed in this committee while the principles of health and social care regulation are pored over. I have many interests in this Bill. As a mental health practitioner  I am pretty horrified at the proposed demise of the Mental Health Act Commission. People (governments especially )have such short memories and think that by some miracle history will not repeat itself . I make no claim that the MHAC is a perfect organisation and its remit needs extending but it has over the past 25years become more effective and it is the only organisation dedicated to protecting the Human Rights of detained mental health patients. Last time the Government decided to alloxcate its functions to central government (in 1959 but no-one in Government goes back that far) it was a disaster. I will need a lot of reassurance that the new structures will deliver improved rights for patients.