This website is dedicated to NZ Mental Health Awareness Week and the elimination of discrimination against those who experience mental illness. It aims to demonstrate that such discrimination runs rampant amongst the Nursing and Medical professions: from doctors and nurses in the front-line of health-care….to those at the highest levels of Public and Corporate Office.

Discrimination has historically manifested within our Health Professions, sometimes resulting in abuse and cruelty. In recent times the Mental Health Commission Like Minds Trust and other agencies, have made inroads into New Zealand society’s understanding of mental health issues. Such work initiates attitudinal shift in communities, and a number of important legal settlements compensating former patients of NZ hospitals is consolidating such change. There is a growing intolerance of discrimination, and enlightened legislation should ensure that individual rights are protected. Clearly community education and involvement is the way to go when it comes to tackling societal discrimination.

It is my belief however that no vision for improved mental health care services will ever be effectively realised unless more is done to bring about attitudinal change within the professions themselves. I base this belief both on my experiences as a mental health professional and a consumer of mental health services. Futhermore I suggest that any remedial initiatives must also come from within the professions…. as it is within the executive structures of Education Service and Governance that discrimination is most prevalent.

The Archives on this site aim to heighten professional and public awareness of this anathema and stimulate open debate. I'll tell my tales by using a combination of humour, hard data, music, anecdote, published articles, newspaper clippings, and candour. At this time it is my intention to add a new archive each month.