Help us to get the voice of the people affected by bipolar heard in Parliament.

Join our campaign by using our step-by-step guide to email your local parliamentary candidates today. 

Use your voice

As we get closer to the general election, we are asking our community to help us reach the decision makers of the future.

We know that collectively we can make a difference. Hundreds of you contacted your local MPs as part of our 'Message your MP to save bipolar lives' campaign last October. Your emails led dozens of MPs to write to the Minister for Mental Health and started many conversations in Westminster about bipolar diagnosis and specialist services. 

We now need all the MPs who are elected on 4 July to understand the issues people living with bipolar in Britain are facing. We need them to join our campaign and make a pledge that, if they are elected, they will advocate for our community. 

Take action now

Help us to make an impact by emailing the candidates in your constituency today.

• Use the template below to email your local parliamentary candidates.
• If you feel comfortable, adding in your own words and sharing your own experience will make even more impact. Copied-and-pasted identical messages may not get a response.
• You can find your local candidates’ email addresses here - or if your candidate’s details are not in the database yet, email Eve via [email protected] who will help you find them.
• Please be polite, concise and to the point.
• Only write to your local candidates. If you email a candidate who’s not standing for election in your area, your message will be ignored. 
• Please cc [email protected] into your email so we can keep track of who has been contacted, and let us know when you get a response.

Email template

Suggested email subject line: Make a bipolar pledge

Dear [INSERT YOUR CANDIDATE'S NAME HERE], 

I live in [INSERT YOUR VILLAGE/TOWN/CONSTITUENCY]. I am emailing to ask you to pledge your support for people affected by bipolar if you are elected on 4 July. Your support matters to me because [IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, INSERT A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE OR EXPLAIN WHY YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY BIPOLAR HERE].  

Over a million people in the UK have bipolar, which is characterised by significant mood swings including manic highs and depressive lows.

There is currently a significant delay to diagnosis, which takes an average of 9.5 years from first point of contact with a medical professional. Without a diagnosis, people cannot get access to the treatment and support they need. During this lost decade, while living with undiagnosed bipolar, they may lose their jobs, their friends or family, or their lives. There are also more likely to be hospitalised putting added pressure on the NHS.

Yet even once someone gets a diagnosis, the care is inconsistent across the UK. Tragically, there is a significant risk of suicide for people with bipolar. It’s estimated that at least one people living with bipolar takes their own life every day. The current failing model costs the NHS an extra £1 billion a year and delivers terrible outcomes. We need to take urgent action.

Bipolar UK, the only national charity supporting people with the condition, is advocating for quicker diagnosis and a specialist care pathway to ensure everyone with bipolar get the support they need to live well. However, they need the backing of policymakers and politicians in and outside parliament to advocate for change.

As a member of your local constituency, I am asking you to email me to confirm that you pledge to advocate for people with bipolar should you be elected. 

If you or your team would like more details about this issue, please email [email protected] and join our network of bipolar champions

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Yours sincerely, 
 
[INSERT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS] 

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Last updated: 30 May 2024