Statistics on ESA WCA outcomes and mental and behavioural disorders for Sept 2012

In response to freedom of information request the DWP has published on line the document given in the title to this post to access click HERE

Suicides in the United Kingdom, 2012 Registrations

The link below provides access to the latest bulletin from the Office of National Statistics which presents the latest suicide statistics for the UK, England (including figures for regions) and Wales. New figures are presented for 2012 with a back series of data covering 1981 to 2011 to allow comparison.. Click HERE to access

Mental Wellbeing, Openness and Crisis Care

An excellent article on this subject by Mary O'Hara (The Guardian, Tuesday 4 February) makes the claim that many people struggling with mental health issues go largely unnoticed and have little direct contact with service providers. Many feeling unable to talk about their problems due to the stigma often attached to mental health and making reference to Time to Change argues that by talking openly about these issues we can have a positive influence. Click HERE to read article

The Care Bill: factsheets and impact assessments

The Government has published a series of 19 factsheets and a glossary that accompany the Care Bill. The factsheets are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-care-bill-factsheets

Impact assessments have also been produced and these can be viewed at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-government-published-a-series-of-impact-assessments-alongside-the-care-bill

Media Must Be Held To Account for Their Portrayal of Sick and Disabled Benefit Claimants

Within this article the Author discusses the use by newspapers and television of inappropriate and derogatory language as a vehicle for confirming the myth that all disabled benefit claimants are work shy shirkers and scroungers. Story by Steven Preece posted on the Welfare Benefits News Service February 06 Click HERE to read the Article
If you have any comments or thoughts about the content of the article or have experience of the issues raised please get in touch if you would like to share these

Inquiry Launched Into ATOS ‘Fit For Work’ Tests

The Work and Pensions Committee has announced that it will be carrying out an inquiry into the highly controversial sickness benefit tests, known as the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), carried out by private contractor Atos Healthcare on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Article by Steven Preece posted on the Welfare Benefit News Service February 06
Click HERE to access full article.

Mental health stigma: convincing my mates I was still 'me' was almost impossible

Reports show women face more of a stigma about mental health from family and friends than men do. Radhika Sanghani had the same problem after being in a serious accident Story by Radhika Sanghani in the Telegraph 03 Feb 2014 click HERE for full article

Mental wellbeing should be tackled before it leads to a need for crisis care

Many people living with worsening mental health are invisible, but we can help them by reaching out Within the UK's older population in particular, those finding it "very difficult to get by financially" are eight times more likely to report reduced mental wellbeing compared with those who are comfortably off. Story by Mary O'Hara in the Guardian Tuesday 4 February Click HERE to view article

Extra funding for mental health nurses to be based at police stations and courts across the country

An extra £25 million of funding for mental health nurses and other mental health professionals to work with police stations and courts so that people with mental health and substance misuse problems get the right treatment as quickly as possible, and which helps reduce re-offending, has been announced by the Government.

Find out more here.