Stress, anxiety and depression cause more working days lost than any other health problem. The financial cost to British business of mental ill health is an estimated £26 billion per year – that’s equivalent to £1,035 for every employee – and some place it as high as £40 billion. This new guide published by Devon [read the full story…]
A new report published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence shares findings from research, policy and practice on prevention in adult safeguarding and presents a wide range of approaches that can help prevent abuse. The key messages are: • Prevention of abuse has not always been high on the adult safeguarding agenda, but there is [read the full story…]
Major depressive disorder is a prevalent and debilitating condition in elderly patients. It is accompanied by circadian rhythm disturbances associated with impaired functioning of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the biological clock of the brain. Circadian rhythm disturbances are common in the elderly. Suprachiasmatic nucleus stimulation using bright light treatment may, therefore, improve mood, sleep, and hormonal [read the full story…]
Sex offender treatment programmes for men with learning disabilities who have perpetrated sex offences or inappropriate sexual behaviour have been show to have beneficial effects for in a number of studies. The authors of this study set out to look at the treatments and compare two groups – offenders against adults and offenders against children. [read the full story…]
Following the publication of the Government’s mental health strategy, No Health without Mental Health in February 2011, the Mental Health Strategic Partnership has published two briefings aimed at general practice and community organisations. The Mental Health Strategic Partnership brings together seven national mental health voluntary sector organisations to work with the Department of Health to support [read the full story…]
This ecological analysis published in the BMJ examines the rise in the rate of involuntary admissions for mental illness in England that has occurred as community alternatives to hospital admission have been introduced. The study used available data on provision of beds for people with mental illness in the NHS from Hospital Activity Statistics and involuntary [read the full story…]
The estimates of prevalence of mental illness in people with a learning disability varies across studies. The authors of this study suggest that up to 50 % may develop significant psychiatric problems at some point in their lives. The researchers set out to look at ways in which community services for people with learning disabilities [read the full story…]
This randomised controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry looks at the effectiveness of a new cognitive-behavioural parenting-based approach for treating anxiety in young children. Timid to Tiger is an entirely parenting-based approach to managing anxiety in children aged nine years or below. It is based on evidence that anxious children benefit [read the full story…]
Sleep problems are commonly found in people with learning disabilities who live in residential settings, but the authors of this study were concerned that insufficient attention was being is paid to them in the literature and consequently in practice. They set out to improve the knowledge and understanding of sleep quality and sleep problems among [read the full story…]
London Health Programmes have published a series of documents from their Models of Care project that will be of particular interest to commissioners. The mental health case for change explores the reasons behind why mental health services in London need to change and the evidence to support the recommendations. The mental health models of care [read the full story…]
