The first census was published of the ethnicity of people using in-patient mental health services in England and Wales. It was found that Black African and Caribbean people were more likely to go into hospital than the general population.
Source: Count Me In: Results of a national census of inpatients in mental health hospitals and facilities in England and Wales, Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (020 7448 9200)
Links: Report | CHAI press release | DH press release | Mind press release | SCMH press release | King's Fund press release
Date: 2005-Dec
The Commission for Racial Equality said that it would launch an investigation into inequalities in the mental health system.
Source: Press release 7 December 2005, Commission for Racial Equality (020 7939 0000)
Links: CRE press release | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Dec
A report identified hospital in-patient care as among the worst experiences of mental health service users and carers. It called for an alternative built around prevention, telephone helpline support, community-based crisis intervention, and short-stay 'sanctuary' in high-quality non-hospital environments.
Source: Alison Faulkner and Kerry Williams, Future Perfect, Rethink (formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship) (020 7330 9100)
Links: Report | Rethink press release
Date: 2005-Dec
A report examined how mentally ill offenders (men) reached prison and were treated there. It said that prisons were ill-suited for managing mental illness, staff had profound difficulties coping with the complex needs of mentally ill offenders, and the mental health of many deteriorated as a result of the stressful conditions in prison.
Source: Dora Rickford and Kimmett Edgar, Troubled Inside: Responding to the mental health needs of men in prison, Prison Reform Trust (020 7251 5070)
Links: Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that mental health crisis helplines had a crucial impact on maintaining the mental health of service users, and were particularly useful in dealing with the risks of self-harm and suicide.
Source: Do Helplines Help?, Rethink (formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship) (020 7330 9100) and National Institute for Mental Health in England
Links: Summary | Rethink press release | SANE press release
Date: 2005-Nov
An article examined the implications of the National Service Framework for children and young people with mental health problems, and the interface with social work practice.
Source: Caroline Lindsey, 'Some implications of the Children's National Service Framework for social work practice with regard to child mental health', Journal of Social Work Practice, Volume 19 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that new community development workers should be given the power to bring about real changes to mental health services for black and minority ethnic groups in their localities.
Source: Patience Seebohm, Paul Henderson, Carol Munn-Giddings, Philip Thomas and Salma Yasmeen, Together We Will Change: Community development, mental health and diversity, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8300)
Links: Extract | SCMH press release
Date: 2005-Nov
A discussion paper examined what was needed to implement the National Service Framework for Mental Health in full by 2010. It called for an extra 4,000 psychotherapists, 5,000 social workers, 4,700 clinical psychologists, and 1,200 consultant psychiatrists.
Source: Jed Boardman and Michael Parsonage, Defining a Good Mental Health Service, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8300)
Links: Discussion paper | SCMH press release | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Nov
A report examined older people's experiences of mental health services, highlighting problems of discrimination.
Source: Access All Ages, Mind (020 8519 2122)
Links: Report (pdf) | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A paper said that up to one-fifth of people in England who had depression needed help that their family doctor could not give. It called for a new type of service to meet the needs of this group.
Source: Alan Cohen and John Hague, The Neglected Majority: Developing intermediate mental health care in primary care, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (web publication only)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
The Welsh Assembly government published a revised framework and action plan for adult mental health services.
Source: Raising the Standard: Revised adult mental health national service framework and an action plan for Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Framework (pdf) | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A committee of Welsh Assembly members reviewed the National Service Framework for Mental Health, and made recommendations for improving user and carer participation.
Source: Review of the National Service Framework for Mental Health - Standard 2: User and carer participation, Health and Social Services Committee/National Assembly for Wales (02920 898505)
Links: Report (pdf) | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An audit report said that there were significant gaps in key elements of service delivery in relation to adult mental health services in Wales.
Source: Adult Mental Health Services in Wales: A baseline review of service provision, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report (pdf) | WAO press release | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An article described the results of a narrative review of inpatient mental health services. It examined the growing pressure on inpatient hospital services; the negative experience of inpatient services reported by many service users; the problematic nature of hospital discharge; and possible alternatives to hospital admission.
Source: Jon Glasby and Helen Lester, 'On the inside: a narrative review of mental health inpatient services', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 35 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Sep
A report examined the experience of coming off psychiatric drugs. Of patients interviewed, 40 per cent saw their family doctor as "not helpful" in the process.
Source: Coping With Coming Off , Mind (020 8519 2122)
Links: Report (pdf) | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Sep
Users of mental health services praised the care they received from National Health Service doctors, nurses and other specialist staff, including psychologists and social workers, according to a survey published by the healthcare inspectorate. But the survey also highlighted a number of areas where care could be improved, including better emergency support, and better information on the side effects of medication.
Source: Mental Health Services: Survey of users 2005, Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (020 7448 9200)
Links: Report (pdf and Excel links) | CHAI press release | King's Fund press release | NHS Confederation press release | Mind press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A symposium report said that existing approaches to dealing with mental health problems in young people were overly simplistic. Policy-makers and service providers needed to take a joined-up approach to a multiplicity of factors and the interplay between them.
Source: Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer, Perspectives on the Causes of Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents, YoungMinds (020 7336 8445)
Links: Report (pdf) | Young People Now report
Date: 2005-Sep
A report said that the National Institute for Mental Health in England needed to change its working practices to engage with a wider range of service users.
Source: Health and Social Care Advisory Service, Making a Real Difference: Strengthening service user and carer involvement in NIMHE, National Institute for Mental Health in England/National Health Service (0113 254 5000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Aug
A report said that people who had been detained under the Mental Health Act did not have their needs adequately assessed and planned for when they left hospital.
Source: Back on Track? CPA care planning for service users who are repeatedly detained under the Mental Health Act, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8300) and Mental Health Act Commission
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Jul
A review body set out a long-term strategy for adult mental health services in Northern Ireland.
Source: A Strategic Framework for Adult Mental Health Services, Review of Mental Health & Learning Disability (Northern Ireland) (0800 328 4260)
Links: Strategy (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
An article said that family doctors needed a better understanding of their patients cultures in order to be able to offer them the right care for mental health problems.
Source: Gabriel Ivbijaro, Lucja Kolkiewicz and Eleni Palazidou, 'Mental health in primary care: ways of working the impact of culture', Primary Care Mental Health, Volume 3 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jul
A survey found that there were insufficient schemes to divert offenders with mental health problems out of the criminal justice system and into appropriate health services.
Source: Findings of the 2004 Survey of Court Diversion/Criminal Justice Mental Health Liaison Schemes for Mentally Disordered Offenders in England and Wales, National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (020 7582 6500)
Links: Report (Word file) | NACRO press release
Date: 2005-Jun
A new book documented the changes that had taken place in mental health services in recent decades - between the closure of the old long-stay 'water tower' hospitals and the range of community services now available. It said that services had been changed beyond recognition, yet some major problems remained to be tackled.
Source: Beyond the Water Towers: The unfinished revolution in mental health services 1985-2005, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8300)
Links: Sample chapters (pdf links) | SCMH press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
A report highlighted high levels of violence in mental health and learning disability inpatient facilities in England and Wales.
Source: The National Audit of Violence (2003-2005): Final report, Healthcare Commission (020 7448 9200)
Links: Report (pdf) | Healthcare Commission press release | Mind press release | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
The first national survey of acute inpatient mental health wards in England was published. There was an over-reliance on bank and agency staff; nearly half of wards lacked a lead consultant psychiatrist; and many wards were unable to offer therapeutic activities.
Source: Ines Garcia, Claire Kennett, Mansur Quaraishi and Graham Durcan, Acute Care 2004: A National Survey of Adult Psychiatric Wards in England, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8352)
Links: Summary (pdf) | SCMH press release | Mind press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
A report said that young people with learning disabilities were far more inclined than others to suffer from depression and anxiety, yet these conditions often went unnoticed and untreated.
Source: Making us Count: Identifying and improving mental health support for young people with learning disabilities, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (020 7802 0300)
Links: Summary (pdf) | FPLD press release
Date: 2005-Apr
An article reported research which investigated patterns of help-seeking for mental health problems in men and women aged 16-64, in relation to severity of symptoms and socio-demographic variables. Younger people (aged 16-24) were the least likely of any group to seek help from their family doctor.
Source: Maria Oliver, Nicky Pearson, Nicola Coe and David Gunnell, 'Help-seeking behaviour in men and women with common mental health problems: cross-sectional study', British Journal of Psychiatry, April 2005
Links: Abstract | RCPsych press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A report highlighted the existence of 50,000 people with severe mental illness whose mental, physical and social needs were being ignored - because they fell outside the priority categories of those in need of acute care, those becoming ill for the first time, or those in high-security care.
Source: Action Stations: The way out for the forgotten generation, Rethink (formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship) (020 7330 9100)
Links: Report (pdf) | Rethink press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A think-tank report called for the government to end the exclusion of mental health services from policies to boost choice through personal budgets for users.
Source: Jennifer Rankin, A Good Choice for Mental Health, Working Paper 3, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Mar
The first census of mental health units was carried out (on 31 March 2005) to establish the extent of discrimination against black and minority ethnic patients in the National Health Service and private hospitals in England and Wales.
Source: The Guardian, 30 March 2005
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report examined access to, and the acceptability of, services for the mental health of young people from black and minority ethnic groups. It said that some parts of the country had successfully developed mental health services for young people from these groups including effective multi-agency links whereas other areas had little or no specific provision.
Source: Cathy Street, Ceilidh Stapelkamp, Emily Taylor, Mhemooda Malek and Zarrina Kurtz, Minority Voices: Research into the access and acceptability of services for the mental health of young people from Black and minority ethnic groups, YoungMinds (020 7336 8445)
Links: Report (pdf) | YoungMinds press release
Date: 2005-Feb
The government published an action plan designed to end discrimination in the National Health Service and social services against black and minority ethnic people with mental health problems. It was published together with the government s response to an independent inquiry report into the death of David Bennett, who died in 1998 while being restrained in a psychiatric ward.
Source: Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care, Department of Health (08701 555455) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 11 January 2005, columns 10-11WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Hansard | DH press release | Kings Fund press release | Mind press release | Rethink press release | SCMH press release | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan