Veterans with PTSD Can Benefit from Horseback Riding Intervention

A new study shows that an 8-week therapeutic horseback riding program reduces anxiety, anger and depression in veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read PsychCentral article here

NMC response to budget 2018

Click here for NMC response

Budget 2018: Mental health and social care in the spotlight

In her Conference speech last month, the Prime Minister declared an “end to austerity” but at the high table of Budget giveaways, today was not an all-you-can-eat buffet. Click here to read NHS Confederation article

How Should Health Policy Respond To The Growing Challenge Of Multimorbidity?

There is growing awareness internationally of the increasing number of people living with multiple long-term health conditions, known as multimorbidity. Health services, including the NHS, need to adapt to address this challenge. This policy report discusses the issue of multimorbidity, and offers a summary of recommendations. read King's Fund blog here

Mental Health Network signs letter to Prime Minister calling for better funding for mental health

Leading voices from across the mental health sector, charities and other public bodies have come together to write to the Prime Minister to put the case for a five per cent annual funding increase for mental health. Read NHS Confederation news item here

Young, Alone And Miles Away From Mum: Life In A Mental Health Unit Four Hours From Home

Katie Scott was just a few months shy of her 18th birthday when she was sent to stay in an inpatient unit four hours drive from her home town. It was already a difficult time for the student who was trying to recover from anorexia, anxiety and severe depression – and now at some distance from her family. Read Huffington Post article here

Aerobic Exercise Shown to Outdo Other Therapies for Depression

Supervised aerobic exercise may offer significant relief for patients with major depressive disorder, according to a new study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety. Read PsychCentral article here

Tackling the causes: Promoting public mental health and investing in prevention

This briefing explores the social determinants of mental health and the relationship between physical and mental health, investigates what is being invested in public mental health across the UK, and makes recommendations for improving public mental health. Click here for link to briefing

NHS to trial tech to cut missed appointments and save up to £20 million

Patients will be able to book and change medical appointments online, receive text reminders and even access maps showing them where in a hospital they need to go through a digital patient tool set to be trialled in ten hospitals. Click here to read NHS news

PTSD symptoms improve when patient chooses form of treatment

A new study is the first large-scale trial of hundreds of PTSD patients, including veterans and survivors of sexual assault, to measure whether patient preference in the course of treatment impacts the effectiveness of a type of cognitive behavioral therapy and use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a type of antidepressant often prescribed for PTSD. Click here for ScienceDaily article

Progress of the 'Five Year Forward View for Mental Health': on the road to parity

This report is the product of an in depth inquiry into the progress of the government's mental health strategy, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.  Click here to read further.

Aerobic exercise has antidepressant treatment effects

An analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials indicates that supervised aerobic exercise has large antidepressant treatment effects for patients with major depression.  Click here to read further.

Psychopathic Traits in Men May Help Them Emerge as Leaders

A new study published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology reveals that psychopathic traits in men may help them emerge as leaders, but such tendencies in women are often punished.  Click here to read further.

Government to amend deprivation of liberty scheme to cover 16- and 17-year-olds

The government will amend its planned replacement to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) so that it applies to 16- and 17-year-olds, not just those over 18, a minister has confirmed. To read further click here.

People Ordered into Mental Health Care Less Likely to See It as Helpful

A new study finds that people who independently seek mental health care are more likely to rate their treatment as effective, compared to those ordered into care.  Click here to read further.

Postpartum Depression Linked to Mother’s Pain After Childbirth

While childbirth pain has been linked to postpartum depression, the culprit may be the pain experienced by the mother following childbirth, rather than during the labor and delivery process, according to a new study.  Click here to read further.

Linguistic red flags from Facebook posts can predict future depression diagnoses

Research finds that the language people use in their Facebook posts can predict a future diagnosis of depression as accurately as the tools clinicians use in medical settings to screen for the disease.  Click here to read further.

An overview of reviews: the effectiveness of interventions to address loneliness at all stages of the life-course

This review is the first of its kind to establish what we know about loneliness and effective ways to tackle it. It is a first step to develop the evidence, revealing big gaps in the current evidence base.  Click here to read further.

Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock's speech at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London.Click here for speech and video

Long waits for mental health treatment lead to divorce, job loss and money problems, RCPsych finds

Long waits for mental health treatment lead to divorce, job loss and money problems, RCPsych finds. Read article here

Press release: PM pledges action on suicide to mark World Mental Health Day

Prime Minister Theresa May announces new funding for Samaritans’ helpline and appoints first UK Minister for Suicide Prevention. See government press release here

New mental health campaign launched across the Midlands

Public Health England’s new Every Mind Matters campaign encourages adults in the Midlands to look after their mental health as they do their physical health. Read Government press release here

Quarter of CCGs fall below psychosis spend benchmark

Nearly a quarter of clinical commissioning groups are spending less than the estimated sum needed to provide proper care to seriously ill mental health patients, according to a new analysis by HSJ. Read article here Contact the library 01905 760601 if you need a password.

Access To Children And Young People’s Mental Health Services: 2018

This report examines access to specialist services, waiting times for treatment, and provision for those children that are not able to receive treatment. Read King's Fund Blog here

Matt Hancock calls for world to unite in responding to the challenge of mental health

Ministers will agree to work towards parity between mental health and physical health at today’s global ministerial mental health summit. Read Government news article here

NHS to prioritise doctors’ mental health

NHS chief Simon Stevens today announced a new mental health support scheme to cover all doctors working in the NHS. Click here to read NHS England news piece

Diet and weight may affect response to bipolar disorder treatment

Data from a clinical trial has shown that how people respond to treatment for Bipolar Disorder may be influenced by their weight and the overall quality of their diet, including whether they are eating a diet high in foods thought to contribute to general inflammation. Read ScienceDaily article here

Worried about your friend’s mental health? Don’t just ask them if they are ok, do it twice

We all hear it, dozens of times of day: ‘how are you?’ I’m willing to bet many of us are so pre-programmed in our responses, we routinely find ourselves in a seemingly never ending loop of: ‘How are you?’ ‘Fine thanks, how are you?’ ‘Fine thanks’… We ask our friends and family how they are, but are we really asking, or just waiting for the usual and expected response so that we can get on with our day? Click here to read newspaper article

Be the change : ensuring an effective response to all in psychiatric emergency equal to medical care

According to this report, care for people in mental health crisis does not adequately address the needs of the community it is intended to serve. It outlines ten recommendations that if fulfilled would make urgent and emergency psychiatric health care ‘minimally adequate’, and calls on governmental agencies, policy makers and health and social services to take radical action to address inequalities and improve mental health crisis care. Read King's Fund blog here

Drop in mental health nurses shows NHS under ‘severe strain’

Statistics published by NHS Digital on Thursday (27 September)  are evidence of a service under severe strain, says the Mental Health Network. Read NHS Confederation article here

Brave words: a photographic project is helping people with mental health issues express how they truly feel - The Guardian

The thing about mental illness,” says journalist Bryony Gordon, “is that it doesn’t want to be on the outside. It wants to be in your self and it wants you alone, isolated, thinking you’re a freak. That’s how it thrives. It does not want you to talk about it being there.” Read newspaper article here