12 April 2021

Staff are being asked to promote voting rights in our inpatient units and community teams in the run-up to local elections on 6 May 2021.

Historically mental health patients and those living with intellectual disability have been socially isolated, marginalised and disenfranchised.

So CNWL has created a web page - https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/patients-and-carers/voting-rights with resources for staff to use, including an updated poster to be put up around wards: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/application/files/2716/1822/9908/VR_POSTER_06_May_2021.pdf.

Staff should look particularly at: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/application/files/4216/1823/1827/3__VOTING_RIGHTS_TO_DO_GUIDE_FOR_STAFF_-_May_2021_update.pdf and download this leaflet for patients: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/application/files/8616/1823/2937/2__VOTING_RIGHTS_INFORMATION_LEAFLET_FOR_MH_PATIENTS-_May_2021.pdf

It is important to remember that:

  • The vast majority of patients in the community can vote.
  • Voluntary patients in mental health hospitals can vote.
  • Patients under civil sections, such as section 2 and 3 of the Mental Health Act (MHA), can vote.
  • Patients on a Community Treatment Order (CTO) can vote.
  • Patients who lack capacity can vote.
  • Patients who are homeless, of no fixed abode or in B&B accommodation can vote. Prisoners remanded to hospital under the Mental Health Act (MHA) on Sections 35, 36 or 48 can vote.

Only patients detained after having been convicted of committing a criminal offence and been ordered to hospital by the Courts cannot vote.

The last day anyone can register to vote in person is: 11.59pm on Tuesday, 19 April.

Anyone can also register to vote by post or by proxy.

The deadline to apply to vote by post and for postal proxy applications is 5pm on Tuesday, 20 April 2021 and to apply to vote by proxy (not postal proxy or emergency proxies) is 5pm on Tuesday, 27 April, 2021.

Full details on how is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/voting