News

Please find below some recent, mental health related, news stories that may be of general interest. If you know of a recent story we should include in this section please email the Cygnet Webmaster.

New brain scan to diagnose autism

Posted: August 11 2010

BBC News reports that the development of a brain scan that detects autism in adults could mean much more straightforward diagnosis of the condition.

View the full story on the BBC News website>>

Depression may double dementia risk

Posted: July 06 2010

BBC News reports that two studies published in the American journey Neurology suggest that suffering from depression may nearly double the chances of developing demenita later in life.

View the full story on the BBC News website>>

Post-natal depression in fathers goes undetected

Posted: May 21 2010

US researchers claim that up to 1 in 10 new fathers may suffer from the 'baby blues' reports the BBC. However, experts warn that many of these cases go undetected and untreated.

View the full story on the BBC News website>>

Work stress and insecurity leads to rise in mental health problems

Posted: May 21 2010

A Populus survey for Mind has found that about 7% of those interviewed have started taking anti-depressants as a result of work stress, reports The Times. These findings come after NHS figures showed the biggest yearly rise in antidepressant prescriptions on record.

View the full story on the Times website>>

Men missing out on treatment for depression

Posted: May 21 2010

The head of the mental health charity Mind has warned that vast numbers of men are missing out on treatment for depression, reports The Observer. The highest suicide risk group in the UK is now men aged between 40 and 49.

View the full story on the Observer website>>

Stop wasting money on short prison sentences, say mental health charities

Posted: April 14 2010

Two mental health charities, Rethink and Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, have joined forces to call for offenders with mental health problems to be treated in the community rather than sent to prison.

View the full story on the SCMH website>>

Deaths in Custoday website launched

Posted: March 25 2010

The Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) on Deaths in Custody has launched its official website. The remit of the Council covers deaths, which occur in prisons, in or following police custody, as well as the deaths of those detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA) in hospital.

Go to the Deaths in Custody website>>

Cases of self-harming rise 50%

Posted: March 15 2010

New figures show that the cases of young people admitted to hospital after cutting themselves deliberately has risen by more than 50% in the last five years.

National Audit of Psychological Therapies for Anxiety and Depression

Posted: February 25 2010

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) has funded a national audit of psychological therapies for people suffering from anxiety and depression in England and Wales. The audit, beginning in May 2010, will evaluate access, appropriateness, acceptability and outcomes of psychological treatment for anxiety and depression.

Meeting the physical needs of those with mental health needs and learning disabilities

Posted: February 25 2010

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is to begin a review into how the physical health needs of those with mental health needs and learning disabilities are met. The review will look at how physical healthcare is provided for people with a learning disability and people who use mental health services.

New mental health website aims to dispel psychosis myths

Posted: February 25 2010

The Institute of Psychiatry, South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust and Rethink have launched a new website, funded by the Wellcome Trust, for family and friends and carers of people with psychosis.

Visit the new website>>

Mental Health Foundation calls for more to be done to look after the mental health of military veterans

Posted: January 29 2010

The Mental Health Foundation has warned that not enough is being done to stop Afghanistan war veterans falling into problems with alcohol, crime or committing suicide. Amongst other things the Foundation says that there are two times more veterans in prison than soldiers serving in Afghanistan. It also says that over of those veterans in prison are suffering from depression or PTSD.

Charity celebrates victory for job applicants with mental health problems

Posted: January 29 2010

Mental health charity Rethink are celebrating the government's decision on the 18 January to ban employers from asking job applicants about their medical history prior to inviting them for interview. The charity has campaigned hard on achieving the amendment to the Equality Bill.

Dementia services not getting priority

Posted: January 14 2010

BBC News reports that the National Audit Office has said that dementia services are not getting the priority that was promised. THE NAO has urged the Department of Health to demonstrate that the dementia strategy it published last year, is not just words.