Don't worry, no offence has been taken. It's interesting to see this sort of thing from the other side of the road. I'm afraid I'm a rather simple person who just wants to'get the job done' and so don't worry too much how people see me or my profession just so long as I'm able to do my work. I don't think that people have antipathy towards the mental health system - I think they would just prefer an 'out of sight, out of mind' system (no pun intended). I don't have any systemic problem with mental health services except that in my experience they seem...well...crap honestly. But like GPs - I don't see the good ones, I just see the ones who refuse to see a patient if the sun has gone down,, or they have to walk more than 50 yards. (I'm sure you know at least a few people like that). It's _them_ that are the cause for the antipathy. But now I digress... The MHA is, in my mind at least, sometimes the only way to get help for a patient who needs it. Not a punishment - I've been to more than enough Sections where the patient is really happy to travel with us to the unit. And I don't think you are paternalistic as a profession. Wishy-washy hippies maybe, but not paternalistic. ;-)