Dear all
I'm going to respond to another theme in Craig's post which I read as
sort of being about using arguments about individuals' "best interests"
that also happily advance our "best interests" as professionals. If I
have to defend my highly paid consultant psych job and argue in terms
of my advanced skills and sophisticated mult-level thinking, extensive
experience and how valuable this is to service users I really should
also acknowledge that I've also got an immense personal stake in the
outcome - not just in terms of money, but also in terms of my self-
identity, social capital, prestige, etc. This is a real-life situation
for me.
It is a complex area. These cuts and reorganisations are not coming
about as a result of disabled people's activism and self-determination
- but then again how likely is that for intellectually disabled people
anyhow? If the choice is between lots of mental health professionals
and people losing benefits or paying more VAT, which outcome is most
defensible?
This does raise the very thorny and impossible to resolve question of
what constitues an ethical and responsible position for those of us who
are employed as NHS clinical psychologists. In the past this debate
has tended to veer towards either individuals making a claim to
legitimacy by citing their allegience to community activism outside
their work roles or discussions about the costs and benefits on a case
by case basis of particular professional activities such as using
diagnosis.
I'm wondering what might be helpful ways out of this impasse? A
central principle for me is David Smail's assertion that those of us
working as psychologists in the NHS have the immense priviledge to
understand and report on the way that social and econonic disadvantage
impact directly on wellbeing. We can also join with other public
sector colleagues to struggle for a redistributive economy of care.
Even if I make some progress on these goals, hand on heart, I'm not
really sure that I am good value for money....
Deborah
----Original Message----
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Jan 24, 2011 15:27
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: spinwatch
Helen, Your position could be framed as "acting in the person's best
interests" - a position that has justified ECT, lobotomy, years of
therapy, redesigning housing estates; you name it but looking after a
child (of whatever age) would be seen by many as "duty" or even the
price you pay for love, parenthood etc. Labelling with ADHD, autism and
so on can easily be seen as good because people get support (see my
chapter in Making and Breaking Children's Lives), often financial but
for every person you label thus - however well intended - you
implicitly support diagnosis, something which occurs in far more cases
than those you might regard as deserving. And it is only your
professional position that gives you the right to judge "deserving" vs
undeserving, a concept that started with the Poor Laws and has been
acted out in courts all over the world where Psychs argue with the
Legal profession - see Rosario on the 19th century debates twixts
psychiatrists and lawyers ("The Erotic Imagination"). And Richard, tho
the Zeitgeist frames ordinary, if upsetting, conduct as diagnosable you
don't have to comply. That's like saying people shouldn't protest about
bankers. The best way to object or resist is simply not to do what the
Zeitgeist demands. Depressive? I hope so, my Kleinian analyst would
heartily approve. C
From: COMBES Helen A <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, 24 January, 2011 12:55:56
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] spinwatch
I was (and still am) against labelling but having worked in service
where people were struggling to get any support for their son or
daughter because the service said “we do not have anyone in this city
who has autism” and at the age of 80 (their children in their 50s)
people were still having to help their son or daughter on a daily basis
without any state or local government support. At that point I sold my
soul to the devil and started to diagnose. It was always through asking
peoples’ permissions. Sorry, but it did mean that people got some
access to some support and some independence. People can take hold of
a label and change its meaning.
Helen Combes,
Principal Clinical Lecturer, Shropshire and Staffordshire DClinPsy
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [mailto:
[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Danny Taggart
Sent: 24 January 2011 11:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: spinwatch
I'm not sure that this is entirely true Craig. Most of my colleagues
would not identify themselves as critical or even community
psychologists but they are finding the current NHS reform process quite
horrifying. It's difficult to credit the idea that this is all because
of self-interest and not at least in part to do with care about the
public. We all might engage in unhelpful therapeutic practices at times
but that's not the same as wilfully trying to harm people to advance
our own financial or power bases.
What I would be interested to hear from people is how are these
changes being experienced by others in the NHS and beyond? Also do
people have examples of how we can resist or at least minimise harm?
Danny
[def ault] Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of CRAIG NEWNES
Sent: 23 January 2011 20:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] spinwatch
Richard, Psychologists have a massive vested interest in this non
sense. For example many many psychs in Ad Ment Health or Child Health
support spurious labelling and therapies that can't possibly help
people who have lost their jobs and homes or kids who live terrible
lives and attend oppressive schools whose only chance of rebelling is
via refusal. You should ask Elina Baker, Clin Psych, who worked in a
Psychology Dept in Devon where ALL the desks, computers and lunches
were supplied by Drug reps. The local psychiatrist thought this was
appalling. Equally, in the seminars Guy and I used to run on
Prescribing Rights for Psychologists a sizeable majority were all for
the right to prescribe - because they wanted the goodies drug reps gave
nurses and doctors. A brief scan thru Clinical Psychology Forum tells
you all you need to know about the way the majority follow the gravy
train while privately espousing doubts and so-called critical views.
C
From: richard pemberton <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, 23 January, 2011 15:29:52
Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] spinwatch
http://bit.ly/fwf0rC
This is worth a watch. Its about the healthcare lobbying industry and
their tentacles in govt/the body politic and 'Lansleys reforms'. It
makes all those drug company funded trips meals and goodies for medics
look quite tame. It cant be long before we get psychologists for
reform.
Richard Pemberton
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