29 March 2014
Where's my cheesecake?
A great article on stigma by Tania Browne - it's got irritation, ideas, & cake!
26 March 2014
Money doesn't always have to be the bottom line
"Our gross national product (GNP ) now is over $800 million dollars a year, but that GNP - if we should judge the USA by that - counts air pollution & cigarette advertising & ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors & the jails for the people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwoods & the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm, & it counts nuclear warheads, & armoured cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities. It counts the television programmes which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.
Yet the GNP does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, & it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud we are Americans."
Yet the GNP does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, & it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud we are Americans."
Senator Robert Kennedy, March 1968
The health & wellbeing of our society, our community, our loved ones, & ourselves should not be measured in terms of finance alone. Whether the government gives money & priority to banks / business or healthcare / education is ultimately a simple choice - or idealogical statement… click here or here & here as well
20 March 2014
NICE & new: guidelines for Psychosis & Schizophrenia in Adults
Last month, the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence published it's new recommendations for the care & treatment of psychosis & schizophrenia. Clinical Guideline 178, although not enforceable, updates the guidelines based on consultation, research, & best practice. Much more emphasis is placed on ready access to services, physical wellbeing, peer support, the role & needs of carers.
Rethink Mental Illness have responded by producing a simple guide to what should ideally be offered to people experiencing severe mental illness. Well worth a look...
Rethink Mental Illness have responded by producing a simple guide to what should ideally be offered to people experiencing severe mental illness. Well worth a look...
18 March 2014
World Mental Health Day
Friday 10th October brings us World Mental Health Day 2014.
This years theme is 'Living with Schizophrenia' & provides a great opportunity to take on the misunderstandings, the myths, & the stigma attached to this debilitating illness.
As we move towards the second anniversary of the 'Abandoned Illness' report by the Schizophrenia Commission (November 2012), we will have the chance to see whether their shattering findings & specific recommendations have resulted in any meaningful improvements in the care & treatment offered to those who experience this severe, often isolating, condition.
Through the personal experience of folk who make up our social groups & activities, MSM will be gearing-up to engage with this years theme in a full & heartfelt manner - updates will appear on the MSM website (& here, but, as you can see, sporadically!) If you have any ideas &/or would like to get actively involved get in touch.
This years theme is 'Living with Schizophrenia' & provides a great opportunity to take on the misunderstandings, the myths, & the stigma attached to this debilitating illness.
As we move towards the second anniversary of the 'Abandoned Illness' report by the Schizophrenia Commission (November 2012), we will have the chance to see whether their shattering findings & specific recommendations have resulted in any meaningful improvements in the care & treatment offered to those who experience this severe, often isolating, condition.
Through the personal experience of folk who make up our social groups & activities, MSM will be gearing-up to engage with this years theme in a full & heartfelt manner - updates will appear on the MSM website (& here, but, as you can see, sporadically!) If you have any ideas &/or would like to get actively involved get in touch.
14 March 2014
Mental health promises broken again
Cuts in the budget for mental health services fly in the face of government & NHS promises to treat mental & physical health equally.
A Guardian letter (posted below) from the chief officers of leading mental health organisations reflects the widespread anger felt over ministers, health service leaders, & Monitor (NHS finance regulator) agreeing a 1.8% cut in non-acute care, which includes mental health services. Acute hospital services will undergo a 1.5% cut.
The powers-that-be are seeking to raise £150m to pay make up the shortfall in extra acute hospital staff identified by the Francis Report as a factor in the abject care failure at Stafford. NHS leaders state non-acute service providers do not need to tackle any understaffing simply as Francis did not make such a recommendation - i.e. non-acute services are not yet rubbish enough to 'maintain' budgets.
Given various ministers, David Cameron included, have been categoric in stating staffing must be brought up to safe levels across all NHS care services, even minister for Care & Support, Norman Lamb, views this decision as 'flawed & unacceptable'.
At a time when involuntary admissions continue to record highs; up 4% from 48,600 to 50,400 in 2012; up a profit-making 17% in private hospitals (3,600 to 4,300) in the same year; when at least 1,700 mental health beds have been closed in the last couple of years; with the upward trend in the 21st century suicide rate maintained, is this really the best time to continue hacking & slashing? There's already enough poor management going on: bed shortages mean millions siphoned to the private sector, severely ill patients sent to facilities miles from home & hope, hot-bedding, premature discharge; the Cornish out-of-hours crisis response service consists of 2 nurses & a social worker, providing cover to 500,000 people.
Turning Point chief executive Victor Adebowale, who actually sits on the Board of NHS England, says the decision was not discussed prior to being nodded through. Whilst head of NHS England David Nicholson, who many see as sharing responsibility for the Mid Staffs tragedy, acknowledges (nb: not 'accepts') criticism for the decision-making process but states it will not be reviewed as acute hospitals need more cash to hire nurses to reach minimum safety levels. Peter is most definitely being robbed to pay Paul & unsurprisingly, but worryingly, Lord Adebowale characterises the decision as 'bordering on laughable'.
In the last 2 years overall mental health trust budgets have shrunk in real terms by 2.3%; crisis resolution spend fell 1.7% while referrals rose 16%; community mental health budgets flatlined, but referrals rose 13%. There is no evidence that money saved closing psychiatric beds is being used to boost community mental health services.
Surely government & NHS decision-makers are not depending on us not noticing the glaring disparity between their mis/disinformation & the reality of everyday life. These people are public servants & as such must listen to us, our concerns, our needs, our aspirations. They must be forced to think again...
Mind has launched a petition to ensure mental health services are given their fair share of funding, have a look at what they have to say & sign up HERE
A Guardian letter (posted below) from the chief officers of leading mental health organisations reflects the widespread anger felt over ministers, health service leaders, & Monitor (NHS finance regulator) agreeing a 1.8% cut in non-acute care, which includes mental health services. Acute hospital services will undergo a 1.5% cut.
The powers-that-be are seeking to raise £150m to pay make up the shortfall in extra acute hospital staff identified by the Francis Report as a factor in the abject care failure at Stafford. NHS leaders state non-acute service providers do not need to tackle any understaffing simply as Francis did not make such a recommendation - i.e. non-acute services are not yet rubbish enough to 'maintain' budgets.
Given various ministers, David Cameron included, have been categoric in stating staffing must be brought up to safe levels across all NHS care services, even minister for Care & Support, Norman Lamb, views this decision as 'flawed & unacceptable'.
At a time when involuntary admissions continue to record highs; up 4% from 48,600 to 50,400 in 2012; up a profit-making 17% in private hospitals (3,600 to 4,300) in the same year; when at least 1,700 mental health beds have been closed in the last couple of years; with the upward trend in the 21st century suicide rate maintained, is this really the best time to continue hacking & slashing? There's already enough poor management going on: bed shortages mean millions siphoned to the private sector, severely ill patients sent to facilities miles from home & hope, hot-bedding, premature discharge; the Cornish out-of-hours crisis response service consists of 2 nurses & a social worker, providing cover to 500,000 people.
Turning Point chief executive Victor Adebowale, who actually sits on the Board of NHS England, says the decision was not discussed prior to being nodded through. Whilst head of NHS England David Nicholson, who many see as sharing responsibility for the Mid Staffs tragedy, acknowledges (nb: not 'accepts') criticism for the decision-making process but states it will not be reviewed as acute hospitals need more cash to hire nurses to reach minimum safety levels. Peter is most definitely being robbed to pay Paul & unsurprisingly, but worryingly, Lord Adebowale characterises the decision as 'bordering on laughable'.
In the last 2 years overall mental health trust budgets have shrunk in real terms by 2.3%; crisis resolution spend fell 1.7% while referrals rose 16%; community mental health budgets flatlined, but referrals rose 13%. There is no evidence that money saved closing psychiatric beds is being used to boost community mental health services.
Surely government & NHS decision-makers are not depending on us not noticing the glaring disparity between their mis/disinformation & the reality of everyday life. These people are public servants & as such must listen to us, our concerns, our needs, our aspirations. They must be forced to think again...
Mind has launched a petition to ensure mental health services are given their fair share of funding, have a look at what they have to say & sign up HERE
13 March 2014
Risks of deep cuts in mental health funds
letter from The Guardian 12.03.14
The recent decision by NHS England and the health regulator Monitor to recommend cutting funding for mental health services by 20% more than that for acute hospitals completely contravenes the government's promise to put mental and physical healthcare on an equal footing and will put lives at risk.
Following Mid Staffs, all NHS services were obliged to comply with the Francis report to improve care and safety for patients. NHS England funded the additional costs of implementing these recommendations, yet it withheld this from mental health services – creating a significant budget shortfall. Not only does this send out a disturbing and deeply disappointing message, it is likely to have far-reaching consequences for people with mental illness.
Mental health is chronically underfunded. It accounts for 28% of the disease burden, but gets just 13% of the NHS budget. Mental health services are straining at the seams and these new cuts will mean support is slashed in response to instructions from NHS England. This decision will cost much more in the long term as it will drive up admissions to A&E and the number of people reaching crisis and needing expensive hospital care.
Mid Staffs was one of the biggest tragedies the NHS has ever faced. People died because those in charge failed to respond to repeated warnings that things were going wrong. Let's not make the same mistake twice. Time is running out; we urge NHS England and Monitor to do the right thing and resolve this issue swiftly.
Sean Duggan Chief executive, Centre for Mental Health, Jenny Edwards CEO, Mental Health Foundation, Stephen Dalton Chief executive, Mental Health Network, Paul Farmer CEO, Mind, Mark Winstanley CEO, Rethink Mental Illness, Professor Sue Bailey President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
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