Dear Supporters
Happy New Year!
We start the year with disappointing news. Our petition to the Scottish Parliament was closed on Wednesday 13 January 2021. It was a shock to us that it could be closed at its first hearing, with no opportunity to challenge the decision. Possibly the Committee did not understand what we are asking for. And with the Parliamentary Session coming to an end in June 2021 they might be trying to close as many petitions as possible ready for the new Session in September.
Had it remained open, our petition in the Scottish Parliament would have put considerable pressure on the Scottish Government to take action instead of procrastinating as it usually does by launching official reviews and consultations.
I shall write to the Convener and Clerks about the closure but I suspect that it will not make any difference.
However, we shall continue collecting signatures here on Change.Org and will write directly to the Scottish Government when we have 1000 supporters. Later we shall encourage supporters in Scotland to write to their MSPs, asking them to write to the Minister for Mental Health, or to the First Minister.
Please keep sharing our petition, particularly with people who are resident in Scotland.
We do not recommend that you donate to promote our petition. Sharing with friends and colleagues is more effective and free.
At present we have 284 supporters. We should have more. Some people have signed but have not received a confirmation email, so their signatures have not been counted. I am trying to get Change.Org to acknowledge and correct this fault. I might have to write to those affected who I know about. Unfortunately there may be many such people who I don't know about. There does not seem to be any easy way around this problem.
If you have questions or suggestions about the petition, you are welcome to write to me.
With grateful thanks for your support.
Barry Gale
barrygale2003@yahoo.co.uk
*************************************************************************
LINK TO SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT PETITION :
https://www.parliament.scot/.../Peti.../securehospitalreview