Over 450 patients and carers have responded to a web log started by service user Jo Roberts that discussed the draft Welsh Code of Practice for the Mental Health Act.

“When the consultation process began I felt very strongly that the opinions of service users like me and their carers should be clearly heard,” said Jo.

“So I decided to start a Blog. My aim was just to get my point of view across and maybe start a bit of discussion. But the response was overwhelming. Over 450 people contacted me offering their input and support – the majority being service users like myself.”

The Code of Practice provides guidance as to how the recently passed Mental Health Act should be applied in Wales.

So considerable was the feedback to Jo’s Blog that mental health charity Hafal has substantially based its response to the consultation on the comments from patients and carers.

Chief Executive Bill Walden-Jones said: “It shows how important the Mental Health Act is to patients and carers when this many people respond – especially as this consultation is just looking at the Code of Practice.”

To read Jo’s Blog, and to see Hafal’s full response to the draft Code of Practice, please go to: www.hafal.org/josblog