An annual report described progress on implementing the recommendations of the Social Exclusion Unit report (published in 2004) on mental health and social exclusion. 58 per cent of the action points from the report had been completed, with 38 per cent in progress.
Source: National Social Inclusion Programme: Second Annual Report, Care Services Improvement Partnership/National Health Service (020 7972 1324)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
An article examined the main points of dispute between the government and its opponents over the reform of mental health law - in particular, concerns about compulsion, and the duty of the state to guarantee good-quality care in every locality, divided the government and its critics.
Source: David Pilgrim, 'New "mental health" legislation for England and Wales: some aspects of consensus and conflict', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 36 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Dec
A report examined the social and economic costs of mental health problems in Scotland. In 2005, the total cost was £8.6 billion - more than the total amount spent in Scotland by the National Health Service on all health conditions combined.
Source: What?s It Worth?: The social and economic costs of mental health problems in Scotland, Scottish Association for Mental Health (0141 568 7000)
Links: Report | SAMH press release | SCMH press release
Date: 2006-Nov
The press complaints watchdog published a revised guidance note on the reporting of mental health issues. It reminded editors of the importance of terminology in reporting, pointing out that people were detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 in 'hospitals' not 'prisons', and were 'patients' not 'prisoners'. The terms 'jail', 'cell' and 'cage' were inaccurate under the terms of the Act when referring to the accommodation of patients. Epithets such as 'nutter' and 'schizo' might breach the code of practice on discrimination against individuals who were mentally ill, and could both result in distress to patients and contribute to a climate of public fear or rejection.
Source: On Reporting Mental Health Issues, Press Complaints Commission (020 7831 0022)
Links: Guidance | PCC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Nov
The government published a Mental Health Bill. The Bill was designed to: introduce supervised community treatment for some patients discharged from compulsory treatment in hospital, in order to ensure that patients continued with the treatment they needed; introduce a new, simpler definition of mental disorder and a new appropriate treatment test, to replace the so-called 'treatability test'; and introduce safeguards for patients who lacked capacity and were deprived of their liberty but were not covered by Mental Health Act legislation.
Source: Mental Health Bill [HL], Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory Notes | DH press release | Downing Street Briefing | BASW Briefing | JUSTICE briefing | Mind press release (1) | Mind press release (2) | Rethink press release (1) | Rethink press release (2) | SCMH press release | BMA press release | RCPsych press release | United Response press release | Nacro press release | Law Society press release | FPLD report | Times report | FT report | BBC report | BBC report (2) | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Guardian report (3) | BLINK report | Community Care report (1) | Community Care report (2) | Young People Now report
Date: 2006-Nov
A survey sought to gather information on the incidence of mental ill-health by ethnic group.
Source: Clair Chilvers, Christopher Heginbotham, Jo Simpson and Susan Purdam, Count Me In: The national mental health and ethnicity census 2005, Mental Health Act Commission (0115 943 7100)
Links: Report | BLINK report
Date: 2006-Nov
A paper estimated that the total societal cost of schizophrenia in England was £6.7 billion in 2004-05.
Source: Roshni Mangalore and Martin Knapp, Cost of Schizophrenia in England, Personal Social Services Research Unit/University of Kent (01227 823963)
Date: 2006-Oct
A new book examined the issue of stigma and how it affected not only those who found themselves excluded from society, whether through the public's perception of disability or mental illness, but also family members and friends.
Source: Peter Burke and Jonathan Parker (eds.), Social Work and Disadvantage: Addressing the roots of stigma through association, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Sep
Researchers found substantial returns to education in term of improved mental health.
Source: Arnaud Chevalier and Leon Feinstein, Sheepskin or Prozac: The Causal Effect of Education on Mental Health, DP71, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Date: 2006-Aug
An article examined the longitudinal association between socio-economic position and common mental disorders in a general population sample. None of the socio-economic indicators studied was significantly associated with an episode of common mental disorder at follow-up after adjusting for baseline psychiatric morbidity.
Source: Petros Skapinakis, Scott Weich, Glyn Lewis, Nicola Singleton and Ricardo Araya, 'Socio-economic position and common mental disorders: longitudinal study in the general population in the UK', British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 189, Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Aug
A literature review examined the extent of parental mental health problems and their impact on families; and the acceptability, accessibility, and effectiveness of interventions.
Source: Salina Bates and Esther Coren, The Extent and Impact of Parental Mental Health Problems on Families and the Acceptability, Accessibility and Effectiveness of Interventions, Social Care Institute for Excellence (020 7089 6840)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Aug
A new book examined the nature and severity of discrimination against people with mental illness, and what could be done to reduce it.
Source: Graham Thornicroft, Shunned: Discrimination against people with mental illness, Oxford University Press (01536 741727)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jul
An article reported a study which found some evidence in support of an association between mental health and perceptions of the social and built environment.
Source: Ricardo Araya et al., 'Perceptions of social capital and the built environment and mental health', Social Science & Medicine Volume 62 Issue 12
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that over three million pensioners would experience mental health problems by 2021 unless action were taken to promote good mental health and well-being for older people.
Source: Michele Lee, Promoting Mental Health and Well-being in Later Life, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200) and Mental Health Foundation
Links: Report | Summary | Age Concern press release
Date: 2006-Jun
An article proposed a legislative framework governing non-consensual treatment of both physical and mental illnesses, based on incapacity principles. It said that such legislation would reduce unjustified legal discrimination against mentally disordered persons, and apply consistent ethical principles across medical law.
Source: John Dawson and George Szmukler, 'Fusion of mental health and incapacity legislation', British Journal of Psychiatry, June 2006
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that mental illness among parents and carers was an under-recognized but significant contributory factor to child poverty.
Source: Nick Gould, Mental Health and Child Poverty, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that stand-alone government anti-stigma campaigns were failing people who were discriminated against because of their mental health problems. The mental health sector needed to put civil rights at the heart of the battle for equality, and press for more anti-discrimination measures.
Source: Graham Thornicroft, Actions Speak Louder: Tackling discrimination against people with mental illness, Mental Health Foundation (020 7803 1100)
Links: Report | MHF press release
Date: 2006-May
A study found that large numbers of people - up to 10 per cent of the population - consumed alcohol to mask the fact that they were suffering low-level depression.
Source: Cheers? Understanding the relationship between alcohol and mental health, Mental Health Foundation (020 7803 1100)
Links: Report | MHF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Apr
An article said that depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental illness had taken over from unemployment as the greatest social problem.
Source: Richard Layard, 'The case for psychological treatment centres', British Medical Journal, 29 April 2006
Links: BMJ press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Apr
The government announced that it was abandoning the draft Mental Health Bill, following criticism of proposals to allow the detention of patients for 28 days without appeal. Instead it announced plans (in a short Bill amending the 1983 Act) to extend powers of compulsory detention to mental health patients deemed a risk to themselves or others, including measures to force patients to comply with community treatment orders or face detention.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 22 March 2006, columns 29-30WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | MHAC press release | Mencap press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
A briefing paper reported findings from a Scottish study of the links between mental health and behaviour in schools. It said that much of the communication between parents and schools assumed middle-class values in relation to education and childcare practices.
Source: Home and School: Promoting the wellbeing of children and young people, Briefing 27, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships/University of Edinburgh (0131 651 1832)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2006-Feb
A report examined media coverage of mental health. Public understanding of mental health had improved enormously over recent years, as had media reporting: but prejudiced attitudes remained deeply ingrained.
Source: Mind Over Matter: Improving media reporting of mental health, Shift/National Institute for Mental Health in England/National Health Service (0113 254 5000)
Links: Report | Summary | NIMHE press release | Mind press release
Date: 2006-Jan
An article examined how three aspects of parental resources in early childhood – income, mother's mental well-being, and family status – enhanced or compromised children's cognitive and behavioural development. It also considered whether persistent poverty or persistent maternal depression were more deleterious for children's well-being than periodic episodes of poverty and depression.
Source: Kathleen Kiernan and Fiona Mensah, 'Poverty, maternal depression, family status and children's cognitive and behavioural development in early childhood: a longitudinal study', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 38 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
A report examined the connexion between food and mental health. It said that changes to the food system seen in the previous century might be partly responsible for the rise in mental health and behavioural problems.
Source: Courtney Van de Weyer, Changing Diets, Changing Minds: How food affects mental health and behaviour, Sustain (020 7837 1228)
Links: Report | Sustain press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan
An article said that rural residents had slightly better mental health than non-rural counterparts.
Source: Scott Weich, Liz Twigg and Glyn Lewis, 'Rural/non-rural differences in rates of common mental disorders in Britain', British Journal of Psychiatry, January 2006
Links: Abstract | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan