Advertisment
The advertisement was heard on the radio and stated:
“Mental health difficulties can affect anyone but with the right supports, you can recover.
At St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services we provide specialised care online and in person.
Talk to your GP, visit stpatricks.ie or call us on 01-249-3333.
St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services.
Your support. Your recovery.”
Complaint
The complainant considered the advertisement to be misleading as they said that it was claiming that they help all sufferers of mental health difficulties recover, however, they believed that the advertisers chose their patients, effectively rejecting those who they cannot treat.
Response
The advertisers clarified that St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services was Ireland’s largest independent, not-for-profit mental health service. They said it was founded in 1746 with a vision to seeing a society where all citizens were empowered and given the opportunity to live mentally healthy lives.
The advertisers explained that they aspired to be a leader in the provision of high-quality mental healthcare; the promotion of mental health awareness; and the protection of the rights and integrity of those experiencing mental health difficulties. They said that they promoted mental wellbeing in mainstream media to help address any stigma or lack of awareness and understanding associated with mental health difficulties.
The advertisers addressed each line of the radio advertisement individually in responding to the complaint:
o Script: “Mental health difficulties can affect anyone but with the right supports, you can recover.”
Response: The advertisers said that recovery was possible with the right supports, one of which could be St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services.
o Script: “At Saint Patrick’s Mental Health Services we provide specialised care online and in person.”
Response: The advertisers said that this was a statement of fact and that these were services that St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services offered.
o Script: “Talk to your GP, visit stpatricks.ie or call us on 01-249-3333.”
Response: The advertisers said that the first part of this line in the advert advised people to seek an independent source of advice, such as a GP, which tended to be the first point of call in most cases. They said that the second part of the sentence directed people with mental health difficulties to their website where they provided information about their service and signposted to other services and supports. The advertisers said that the final part of the sentence referred to an information line staffed by mental health nurses who provided general support information, more specific information about the services provided by St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services or signposting to other mental health services.
o Script: “St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services. Your support. Your recovery.”
Response: The advertisers said that the word “your” here was used in the context of the overall range of services provided to patients and one which patients acknowledged.
The advertisers said that it was clear from the reproduced script that the radio advertisement did not suggest that St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services could help all those experiencing mental health difficulties to recover; they said it stated that recovery was possible for everyone with the right help. They said that furthermore, through their advertisement, they encouraged anyone seeking help for a mental health difficulty to either speak to a GP, visit their website, or call them. They said that any of these actions could lead to a referral to their service or another mental health service.
The advertisers wished to highlight that the script of the radio advertisement was cleared by Copy Clearance and had been running nationally and that this was the only complaint received in relation to it. They said that they had a long record of promoting positive mental health, raising awareness and educating about mental health, and that they sincerely regretted any offence that may have been caused by the advertisement.
Conclusion
Complaint Not Upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and the advertisers’ response.
Upon assessment of both the advertisement and its script, the Committee did not consider that the advertisement stated or claimed to help all sufferers of mental health difficulties recover but rather that their service could be one of many options used in the recovery process. While noting the wording within the advertisement, “your support, your recovery”, the Committee did not consider that the advertisement claimed or implied that the advertised service would offer support to every person, but that through the right supports (one of which could be the advertised service), recovery was possible.
In light of this, the Complaints Committee did not consider that the advertising was in breach of the Code on the basis suggested in the complaint.
Action Required:
No further action required.
