Mental Health & Social Care Bulletin No. 418

Although there as been much discussion on how Mental Health needs to be on an equal footing with physical illness, it would appear that in reality  Health and Wellbeing Boards are choosing, if not to ignore it completely, to give it a low priority. This is highlighted in the report from the Centre for Mental Health: A Place for Parity: Health and Wellbeing Boards and Mental Health. You can read much more than this in Bulletin 418

Mental Health & Social Care Bulletin No. 417

The 2012 report from Time to Change  shows that attitudes in this country to mental illness are gradually changing. A survey of over 1700 people also showed that the greater change was among women rather than men. Furthermore it seemed that tolerance came with increased age. This article and research all available in Bulletin 417

Mental Health & Social care Bulletin No. 416

The big news this week was the Australian report in the BMJ which commented on the wider diagnostic parameters for ADHD which in the view of the authors is resulting in misdiagnosis and unnecessary prescribing of drugs such as Ritalin, worldwide. However other experts feel that the criteria for prescribing in the UK is too strict. Also figuring in the news is the the release by Public Health England of statistics for alcohol treatment in England from 2012 - 2013. There has been a small increase in instigations of treatment. All this and much more in Bulletin No. 416

Mental Health & Social Care Bulletin No. 415

Great Ormond Street Hospital has started trialling the new simple blood test for Down's Syndrome in preparation for it to be rolled out across the NHS. The shadow health secretary has promised mental health counselling on the NHS will be a right for everyone if Labour is returned to power. You can read these news stories and research in Bulletin 415.