POSITIVE Justice Gloucestershire’s annual public meeting will be held in Stroud this year – and include a talk on mental health within our justice system.

They will meet on Thursday, November 20, at 7.30 pm, at the Old Town Hall, in The Shambles, Stroud.

The speaker is Eric Allison. His topic will be ‘Out of sight, out of mind: mental health in prisons.’

Mr Allison has a lot of experience in prisons, being The Guardian's prison correspondent, and describing himself as a ‘former career criminal’.

He was also on the government’s Bradley Commission on people with mental health problems or learning disabilities in the criminal justice system.

The issue is particularly relevant now in view of recent NHS cuts, which are most stringent in psychiatric services.

The situation is likely to be much worse in prisons. Here cuts to staff numbers seem to be causing a huge increase in prison suicides. Currently six people a month in prison are committing suicide.

All are welcome. Admission is free and there are refreshments available.

For more information visit www.pjglos.org or phone 01453 759438.