Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01627 · Session 5

Consent for mental health treatment for people under 18 years of age

Closed Submitted 9 Nov 2016 Health
Signatures
0
2,210 online signatures with a country
Comments
308
Considered
11 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to provide for consultation with and consent from a parent or guardian before prescribing medication to treat mental ill health if the patient is under 18 years of age.

What the petitioner did first

Contacted local Member of UK Parliament regarding dispensing regulations and legislation.
Contacted media outlets including Daily Record, Sunday Post, and Scottish Daily Mail to draw attention and highlight issues relating to prescribing to under-18s, resulting in a number of similar cases coming to attention in the media.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 19 Jan 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 20 Apr 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 26 Oct 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  4. 7 Dec 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petition
    1 mention
  5. 18 Jan 2018
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    2 mentions
  6. 29 Mar 2018
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  7. 7 Jun 2018
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  8. 21 Feb 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Mental Health Support for Young People (Inquiry)
    1 mention
  9. 21 Mar 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  10. 25 Apr 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petition
    1 mention
  11. 13 Jan 2021
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

2,210 online signatures
  1. Scotland1,650 74.7%
  2. England323 14.6%
  3. United Kingdom154 7%
  4. United States36 1.6%
  5. Northern Ireland12 0.5%
  6. Ireland12 0.5%
  7. Canada5 0.2%
  8. Australia5 0.2%
  9. Wales4 0.2%
  10. India2 0.1%
  11. 7 other countries7 0.3%

Comments

308 comments, oldest first
308 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Annette McKenzie 9 Nov 2016
    I am Britney's mum please help me change this law so no other mother father siblings go threw what we are
  2. Lisa King 9 Nov 2016
    Hopefully this will save other families from going through the heartache that Britneys family have had to go through x
  3. leeanne 9 Nov 2016
    the law should be changed no child should be given this without parents consent or being advised
  4. Brenda mcgeown 9 Nov 2016
    Such a beautiful young girl ! Shame on the nhs! Rest in peace
  5. Liz Fildes 9 Nov 2016
    Change the rules to change someone's life
  6. Dylan Magee 9 Nov 2016
    Am signing this potision because I believe the law needs to change I lost my friend after taking pills. it's time we change the law before anyone else's heart is broken.
  7. Jennifer Ferguson 9 Nov 2016
    This should have been del with a long time ago but why has it took so long and now we have lost life's through this
  8. Clare greig 9 Nov 2016
    Should be over 18s with parental consent
  9. Linda Torrance 9 Nov 2016
    Mental Health issues need to more open and none more so than involving parents for all under 18 year olds in Scotland
  10. Laura Cunningham 9 Nov 2016
    Agree completely with this, as a mother of a daughter I would want to know if she was given an kind of medication this could have been prevented!xx
  11. Angelina 9 Nov 2016
    The law needs changing and quick to protect young children and parents of going through what tjosb poor mother and family have... as a parent we should be informed no matter what...
  12. lainy mccartney 9 Nov 2016
    Signed xx
  13. Joanne Fairclough 9 Nov 2016
    Shocking to hear your story, keep strong and good luck x
  14. Annemarie Penrose 9 Nov 2016
    I think it ridiculous that doctors can prescribe medication to children without notifying the parents
  15. Danielle 9 Nov 2016
    Get this law changed
  16. Mirand 9 Nov 2016
    Totally agree help can only be giving 2 0ur loved ones if wee no
  17. Michelle friel 9 Nov 2016
    At aged 16 a child can not buy cigarettes or alcohol but can be prescribed mental health medication without parental knowledge? Something far wrong here
  18. Pamela Boyle 9 Nov 2016
    This should never haappen this needs to be changes
  19. Tracy Ward 9 Nov 2016
    Overdoses of this magnitude are not only fatal but can be life changing for the individual & families even if prevented from going all the way to suicide, these prescriptions should never be handed out in large doses to kids or anyone due to the mind bending properties in the pills themselves, please stop prescibing them to kids
  20. Anne smith walker 9 Nov 2016
    So sorry for ur loss and good luck xx
  21. Pauline Gibson 9 Nov 2016
    I can't imagine this happening to a family, but I would be doing the same thing.... Eighteen is a better age for making decisions, but I would suggest that they meed to give them a prescription per day as it is to risky....
  22. Shirley fraser 9 Nov 2016
    Absolutely agree
  23. Aline Roberts 9 Nov 2016
    I can't believe this could happen !! What a Hell they have put you all through my prayers are with you x
  24. Pam Cummings 9 Nov 2016
    This is just heartbreaking and totally avoidable!!
  25. Joyce Bennett 9 Nov 2016
    Please stop this irresponsible attitude of our medical professionals
  26. Donna 9 Nov 2016
    Don't let this happen to another family
  27. Pearl irvine 9 Nov 2016
    I have a young granddaughter I would hate for this to happen to her or any young girl I have signed the petition I also want to say I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope your petition is a success!
  28. Jeannie mundie 10 Nov 2016
    Hope to god this gets sorted dont want another kid to go through this
  29. Angela Carrick 10 Nov 2016
    Young people are among the most vulnerable members of our society and at an age where everything seems bigger and scarier to them. They don't have the life skills to deal with these tremendous emotional issues. As adults, describing how you feel is difficult enough, to a child it's 100 times harder. Although I fully agree that at 16 yrs, young people have rights as individuals, in cases such as mental health, if the child is though to be at risk, then the medical profession have a duty of care and with the consent of the young person, parent's SHOULD be notified in order to give emotional support and to enable appropriate supervision to ensure the chances of suicide is lessened.
  30. April Blanton 10 Nov 2016
    I support this petition because I have children and they should not receive medication without my consent.
  31. Susan 10 Nov 2016
    Thinks needs 2 change
  32. Jean 10 Nov 2016
    16 is too young to be left with major decisions on your health, parents must be involved
  33. Jamie mckee 10 Nov 2016
    Britney. Lest. We. Forget.
  34. Chelsea mckean 10 Nov 2016
    I'm so sorry for your loss my thoughts are with you and your family at this time
  35. Nicola 10 Nov 2016
    Sorry for your loss
  36. SIOBHAN BROWN 10 Nov 2016
    DOCTORS SHOULD NOT BE ALOUD TO GIVE UNDER 18 YEAR OLDS MEDICATION WITHOUT THERE PARENTS KNOWN AS PEOPLE SAY WE ARE MENT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BUT THEY COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE DEATH OF THE YOUNG GIRL IF THEY HAD SPOKE TO HER PARENTS ABOUT GIVEN HER THE MEDICATION
  37. Sharon dorran 10 Nov 2016
    Definitely I think it should be 18 to many young life's are taking away far to young...
  38. Angela costello 10 Nov 2016
    It's a pure shame that the parents don't get told about the medication that is given to there daughter or son. It's wrong. Please hope this action takes place immediately.
  39. Rosey mazzoncini ferguson 10 Nov 2016
    I hope this goes throw as britney was my niece and the loss we all feel will never go away love an miss u loads britney xx
  40. louise 10 Nov 2016
    think it's ridiculous that the doctors give children at that age high medication and yes children there only 16 they might be an adult but every parent should have the right to be informed in what there children is taking up to the age of 18 that's the way I see it .
  41. Lynn sherlock 10 Nov 2016
    Signed
  42. Karen Kay 10 Nov 2016
    Signed Good Luck with the outcome
  43. Ashleigh fogg 10 Nov 2016
    Personally I think it's terrible that this little girls parents never got told their daughter was suicidal scares me being a mother that this could be my child. It's wrong I totally agree with this petition. Xx
  44. Marilyn 10 Nov 2016
    God Bless you darling Annette and I wish you much success in your quest !
  45. Katie Gilchrist 10 Nov 2016
    I have suffered mental, emotional, sexual and physical abuse in my youth so mental health is very close to my heart! Something has to change as young people have no idea that the devastating reality of a wrong decision can change everything in a split second. I was one of the lucky ones. Best of luck with your campaign and my love goes out to all the family's involved.
  46. Caitlin cusack 10 Nov 2016
    Don't think people under the age of 18 should be given any medication without adults permission.
  47. Trisha 10 Nov 2016
    Kids at 16 should NOT be classed as adults when it comes to medical conditions
  48. Lizz taylor 10 Nov 2016
    Totally for this ,lost two adult kids to suicide so with this totally xx
  49. Gillian 10 Nov 2016
    Heartbreaking...rip young girl xx
  50. Angela baird 10 Nov 2016
    The law must be changed under 18 they are still kidz n parents need to be able to help n support them