A survey report highlighted the extreme levels of harassment and victimization experienced by people with mental health problems in the community. 71 per cent of respondents with mental health problems had been the victim of a crime in the previous two years, with just 19 per cent feeling safe all the time in their own homes. Many felt that they had been failed by a discriminatory criminal justice system.
Source: Another Assault, Mind (020 8519 2122)
Links: Report | Mind press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Nov
A new book examined the relationship between madness and crime, and the justification for compulsory detention of mentally ill people.
Source: Philip Bean, Madness and Crime, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Nov
A survey found that mental illness was shrouded in stigma, fear, and ignorance. 72 per cent of adults thought that there was a stigma associated with having a mental illness, and described people with a mental illness as 'unpredictable' (79 per cent), 'dangerous' (50 per cent), or 'scary' (49 per cent). Fewer than half (45 per cent) thought that people with long-term mental illnesses were able to lead independent, fulfilled lives.
Source: Crying Shame, Priory Group (01372 860 400)
Links: Priory press release
Date: 2007-Aug
An article examined the associations between various socio-economic circumstances and common mental disorders among middle-aged Finnish and British public sector employees. Childhood and current economic difficulties were strongly associated with common mental disorders among men and women in both the Helsinki and the London cohort.
Source: Elina Laaksonen et al., 'Socioeconomic circumstances and common mental disorders among Finnish and British public sector employees: evidence from the Helsinki Health Study and the Whitehall II Study', Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Volume 36 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Aug
An article identified two clusters of research topics as future priorities for the social research agenda in mental health – social inclusion/social capital and social networks, and resilience and recovery. There were some underlying tensions between health and social care professionals in the prioritization of medical and social research topics.
Source: Nick Gould, Peter Huxley and Jerry Tew, 'Finding a direction for social research in mental health: establishing priorities and developing capacity', Journal of Social Work, Volume 7 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Aug
The Mental Health Act 2007 was given Royal assent. Under the Act, people suffering from mental illness would no longer have to be considered 'treatable' before they could be detained: clinicians would instead need to demonstrate that treatment would alleviate their condition. All detained patients would have the right to an independent advocate. Compulsory community treatment could be imposed on patients who had previously been detained in hospital and were felt to be in danger of deteriorating. Primary care trusts would have a responsibility to provide age-appropriate treatment for those under 18.
Source: Mental Health Act 2007, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | DH press release | Rethink press release | NHS Confederation press release | NHS Confederation briefing | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Jul
An annual survey found that public attitudes in England towards people with mental health problems remained broadly sympathetic, despite some signs that prejudice and fear had slightly increased. Nearly 9 out of 10 thought that people with mental health problems deserved their sympathy.
Source: TNS, Attitudes to Mental Illness 2007, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report | DH press release | Mind press release | MHF press release
Date: 2007-Jul
The Mental Health Bill was given a third reading. 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. The Bill contained a number of government amendments, including one providing statutory access to advocacy for people deprived of their liberty under the Mental Capacity Act. The government also agreed to a proposal that any compulsory treatment should be of 'therapeutic benefit'.
Source: Mental Health Bill [HL], Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 19 June 2007, columns 1275-1350, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory Notes | HOC research brief | Hansard | DH press release | OCC press release | NUS press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
A report for the disability rights watchdog said that improving the life chances of people with mental health conditions should be at the heart of the work of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
Source: Mental Health Action Group, Coming Together: Mental health, equality and human rights, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Report | DRC press release
Date: 2007-Jun
The early findings of research suggested that there had been a 100 per cent increase in the prevalence of emotional problems and conduct disorders among young people since the 1930s, and that 1 in 10 children had a mental health disorder to a 'clinically significant' level. Emotional well-being in childhood became 4.5 times more important as a factor determining social mobility for people born in 1970 compared to those born in 1958. A linked literature review examined the definition of resilience, what research revealed about the nature of resilience, and the implications for the provision of services to improve outcomes for children and young people.
Source: Julia Margo and Sonia Sodha, Emotional Wellbeing and Social Mobility: A new urgency to the debate, NCH (020 7704 7000) | Literature Review: Resilience in Children and Young People, NCH
Links: Briefing | Literature review | NCH press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
The government responded to a report by a joint committee of MPs and peers on the Mental Health Bill. It said that the proposals in the Bill were compatible with the Human Rights Act 1998 and with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Source: Letter 1 April 2007, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Date: 2007-Apr
The Mental Health Bill was given a second reading. 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) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 16 April 2007, columns 52-131, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory Notes | Hansard | HOC research brief | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Apr
A report said that mental ill-health cost the economy as much as £10 billion a year. The average annual growth rate for mental and behavioural disorder insurance claims since 2000 was 5.4 per cent, compared to the 0.8 per cent growth of overall incapacity benefit claims.
Source: Oxford Economics, Mental Health and the UK Economy, UnumProvident (Helen.Geal@unumprovident.co.uk)
Links: UnumProvident press release | FT report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report said that children with learning disabilities were six times more likely to have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder than other children. The increased risk of mental health problems might be the result of their exposure to poverty and social exclusion, rather than their condition, in some cases.
Source: Eric Emerson and Chris Hatton, The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents with Learning Disabilities in Britain, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (020 7802 0300) and Institute for Health Research/ Lancaster University
Links: Report | FPLD press release | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Feb
An article said that the cost of mental illness was a product of the social norms embedded in the socialization of the illness and the science underpinning the estimate.
Source: Nancy Wolff, 'The social construction of the cost of mental illness', Evidence & Policy, Volume 3 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jan