A report said that prosecutors needed a clearer understanding of the needs of victims and witnesses with mental health issues or learning disabilities. It criticized a lack of information in the recording of cases involving disabled people, warning that this could lead to prejudice in the judicial system.
Source: Vanessa Lee and Corrine Charles, Research Into CPS Decision-making in Cases Involving Victims and Key Witnesses with Mental Health Problems and/or Learning Disabilities, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Dec
The final report was published of a project that used the best available scientific and other evidence to examine the opportunities and challenges facing society over the next 20 years and beyond, and the implications for people's 'mental capital' and 'mental well-being'. Mental capital and mental well-being were intimately linked: measures to address one would often affect the other. Although it was important for government to address problems that affected the mental development of specific groups, such as learning difficulties and mental disorders, policies and choices also needed to nurture the mental capital and well-being in the wider population, so that everyone could flourish throughout their lives.
Source: Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the most of ourselves in the 21st century, Government Office for Science/Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (020 7215 5555)
Links: Report | Summary | NEF press release | MHF press release | Mind press release | Alzheimers Society press release | BBC report | Telegraph report (1) | Telegraph report (2) | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Guardian report (3) | Personnel Today report | People Management report
Date: 2008-Oct
An article reported on the construction of a set of indicators for mental health in England. There were many unexplained differences in mental health across the regions of England. Many of these indicators were closely linked to deprivation. Some indicators showed a lack of difference across the country; and in many instances, service provision was inconsistent and did not always relate to need. In some cases, there was a worrying absence of data – for example, on ethnicity and the mental health of offenders.
Source: John Wilkinson, Jenny Bywaters, Stuart Simms, David Chappel and Gyles Glover, 'Developing mental health indicators in England', Public Health, Volume 122 Issue 9
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Sep
An article examined measures of neighbourhood social capital and common mental disorders (CMD). The findings provided some support for the hypothesis that social capital might protect against CMD, but indicated that initiatives should be targeted at deprived groups, focus on specific elements of social capital, and not neglect the important relationship between personal socio-economic disadvantage and CMD.
Source: Mai Stafford, Mary De Silva, Stephen Stansfeld and Michael Marmot, 'Neighbourhood social capital and common mental disorder: testing the link in a general population sample', Health and Place, Volume 14 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Sep
A report criticized mental health services for failing to treat the 'vast majority' of the 2 million people over 65 in England who showed signs of depression.
Source: Undiagnosed, Untreated, At Risk: The experiences of older people with depression, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Report | Age Concern press release | Help the Aged press release | MHF press release | Alzheimers Society press release | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Aug
An article examined official homicide statistics from England and Wales between 1946 and 2004. In the most recent period (1981-2004), homicides due to mental disorder had declined, and were negatively correlated with the rate of homicide by people without mental disorder: in other words, there had been a reversal in the rate of homicides attributed to mental disorder, which declined to historically low levels, while other homicides continued to rise. Improvements in psychiatric treatments were cited as a likely reason for the decline.
Source: Glen Smith, Nicola Swinson and Olav Nielssen, 'Homicide due to mental disorder in England and Wales over 50 years', British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 193 Issue 2
Links: Abstract | RCPsych press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Aug
A survey of more than 3,000 people with mental health problems found that nearly 9 out of 10 had been affected by stigma and discrimination. Stigma stopped people with mental health problems from doing everyday things such as applying for jobs, making new friends, and going out to pubs and shops.
Source: Stigma Shout: Service user and carer experiences of stigma and discrimination, Rethink (formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship) (020 7330 9100)
Links: Report | Rethink press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Jul
A paper called for a new, ten-year, cross-government national strategy for mental health and well-being.
Source: Mental Health into the Mainstream, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (020 8741 8147)
Links: Paper | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Jun
A report examined the relationship between mental illness and debt. Financial services organizations needed to improve their understanding of mental health issues.
Source: In The Red: Debt and mental health, Mind (020 8519 2122)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-May
A summary was published of the evidence submitted to an inquiry into children's health. A 'large number' of responses highlighted the issue of mental health and well-being: 27 per cent of young people aged 14-16 said that they often felt depressed.
Source: Good Childhood: What You Told Us About Health, Children's Society (020 7841 4415)
Links: Summary | Children's Society press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Apr
A survey investigated the impact of depression on people's work and daily lives. 79 per cent of respondents worried that disclosing their depression to colleagues could be detrimental to them, and one-third of respondents thought they had been turned down for a job because of their depression.
Source: The Inside Story: The impact of depression on daily life, Depression Alliance (0845 123 2320)
Links: Report | Depression Alliance press release
Date: 2008-Apr
A report examined the evidence linking anger with a range of physical, mental, and social problems; and that societal changes were contributing to a rise in emotional problems. Family doctors reported that they had few options for helping patients who came to them with problem anger.
Source: Celia Richardson and Ed Halliwell, Boiling Point: Problem anger and what we can do about it, Mental Health Foundation (020 7803 1100)
Links: Report | MHF press release
Date: 2008-Mar
A new guidebook contained advice on the reporting of issues related to mental health and suicide. It suggested ways to avoid causing needless offence to readers and viewers affected by mental health problems, and at the same time improve public understanding.
Source: What's the Story? Reporting mental health and suicide, Shift/Care Services Improvement Partnership (0845 223 5447)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Feb