Lord Kamlesh Patel
"Mental Health is everyone's responsibility, something MHFA England strongly believes in. They create positive change in people by focusing on individuals' capacity, ability, skills, knowledge, passion, interest, connections and on their potential to do things and make a difference for themselves. I believe that organisations such as MHFA England are a vital community resource and are leading the way in community engagement and creating networks that enable individuals, families and neighbourhoods to all play a crucial role to change people's lives for the better."
Lord Patel, Shadow Minister for Communities in the House of Lords, is internationally renowned for his work with communities and social cohesion across a range of issues including mental health, drug and alcohol use, crime and regeneration.
Lord Patel has been appointed to a number of national boards and committees, including the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work, the Home Office's Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs, the Healthcare Commission and the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse. He has served with the Mental Health Act Commission since 1995, culminating in his appointment as Chairman in 2002 and appointment to the board of the Care Quality Commission in 2008.
Lord Patel has contributed to a variety of Government policies including the Government's five year action plan for delivering race equality in mental health care. In 2007 he was appointed by the Prime Minister to act as a Ministerial Adviser to the Secretary of State (DCLG) in respect of the government's PREVENT agenda (Preventing Violent Extremism); he is also Chairman of a National Taskforce looking at the effectiveness of prison drug treatment.
In October 2008 Lord Patel was appointed as Minister in the House of Lords Government's Whip's Office as spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Justice, Cabinet Office and the Attorney General's Office.
