Demand for mental health treatment in the UK far outstrips supply. And the outbreak of COVID-19 has forced many primary care services to think creatively not only about demand and supply, which has increased further during the pandemic, but also about delivery. GPs and community mental health teams in particular are thinking about more innovative […]
In 1930, the influential British economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that within 100 years the working week would have shrunk to 15 hours. He believed that as living standards rose people would choose to have more leisure time as their material needs were satisfied. For a time, it looked as if Keynes might be right. […]
There is a societal expectation that pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby are happy and exciting times. However, it may come as a surprise to learn that up to 1 in 5 women develop a mental illness during pregnancy or within the first year after having a baby (also known as the ‘perinatal […]
A 2018 evidence review from Public Health England reported that one in 10 young people have some form of diagnosable mental health condition. This, the report suggests, equates to as many as 850,000 children and young people with a diagnosable mental health disorder in the UK. It also reported that half of all mental health […]
It’s shocking that 12.5% of men in the UK are suffering from one of the common mental health disorders (estimated by The Men’s Health Forum). And men are as much as two and a half times more likely than women to die by suicide each year, with one of the most at-risk groups being men […]
by Stacey Dingwall Last week saw the launch of Universities UK’s #stepchange campaign – a framework that aims to help universities support the mental wellbeing of their student populations. In their case for action as to why the framework was needed, the organisation noted that recent years have seen an increase in the number of […]
The role of housing goes far beyond physical shelter and safety. It introduces people to a community to which they can belong, a space which is their own, a communal setting where they can make friends, form relationships and a place where they can go for support, social interaction and reduce feelings of loneliness and […]
Ecotherapy, also known as nature-based or green care is an alternative therapy for people suffering from mental health issues. It can be delivered as an individual treatment or in combination with traditional medicinal and talking-based treatments. Charities and research has suggested that it can reduce depression, anger, anxiety and stress as well as improving self-esteem and […]
By Steven McGinty “Not fit for purpose” and “stuck in the dark ages” These are two of the phrases used by the Care Minister, Norman Lamb, to describe mental health services for children and young people in England. The minister admitted that young people are being let down by the current system and has announced that […]
By Steven McGinty Last week, the UK government announced a new pilot scheme to support those with mental illness back into work. While similar to other government initiatives, this scheme has the unique selling point of offering treatment at an earlier stage, alongside employment support. Like many of the government’s return to work policies, this […]
