Prevention concordat for better mental health: consensus statement

Describes the consensus statement of the prevention concordat for better mental health and lists the signatories. Click here to access government policy paper

You Can Change Your Personality, But it Takes Persistence

While it has been long believed that people can’t change their personalities, a review of recent research shows it is possible to change personality traits through persistent intervention and major life events. Read PsychCentral article here

MRI Study Finds Brain Structure Differences in Teens with Mental Health Issues

A new Canadian study has found brain structure differences between adolescents struggling with mental health issues and their healthy peers. Read PsychCentral article here

Few Apps for Depression & Suicide Prevention Meet Clinical Guidelines

Most (93 percent) mobile apps for suicide prevention and depression management do not provide all six suicide prevention strategies commonly recommended in international clinical guidelines, according to a new study led by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

Click here for link to PsychCentral

Click here for link to original research - Any access problems please ring the library on 01905 760601

Why NHS is front and centre of Queen's Speech

The government has put the NHS front and centre of the Queen's speech. Read news piece here

New advice released to support those with eating disorders at Christmas

The NHS and leading eating disorder charity Beat have drawn up new guidance to help people of all ages suffering with an illness and their families cope over the festive season. Click here to read NHS news piece

Use of out-of-area rehabilitation placements for adults with complex psychosis should be curtailed says NICE

A new draft NICE guideline published today (20 December 2019) on the rehabilitation of adults with complex psychosis and related mental health conditions says they should have access to rehabilitation services in their local area and the use of out-of-area placements limited. Click here to read NICE news piece

Mental Health Foundation's reaction to the Queen's Speech

Commenting on the Queen’s Speech today, Mark Rowland, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said: click here to find out what Mark said

Trusts told to create ‘dedicated A&E space’ for mental health patients

Every emergency department in London has been advised to create “dedicated space” to care for three mental health patients, due to concerns over long waiting times for people in crisis. To access HSJ click here and ring the library 01905 760601 for access password

The State Of Medical Education And Practice In The UK: 2019

See link to report here from King's Fund blog

Implementing routine outcome monitoring in specialist perinatal mental health services

This document focuses on good practice examples, tools, tips and information to help perinatal mental health (PMH) services embed appropriate perinatal mental health outcomes measures at a local level, using outcome measures that are already part of the Mental Health Services Dataset. Click here for link to government site

Self-Harm Patients in ER at High Risk of Suicide the Next Year

A new California study shows that self-harm patients who presented to a hospital emergency department had a suicide rate in the year after their visit 56.8 times higher than those of demographically similar residents. Click here for PsychCentral article

Women Who Survive Domestic Abuse Face Double the Risk of Long-Term Illnesses

Female survivors of domestic abuse are at double the risk of developing long-term illnesses that cause widespread bodily pain and extreme tiredness, according to a new study.

The study, from researchers at the University of Birmingham and the University of Warwick in the U.K., found that women who have experienced domestic abuse are almost twice as likely to develop fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) than those who have not. Click here for link to PsychCentral article

Experts review evidence yoga is good for the brain

Scientists have known for decades that aerobic exercise strengthens the brain and contributes to the growth of new neurons, but few studies have examined how yoga affects the brain. A review of the science finds evidence that yoga enhances many of the same brain structures and functions that benefit from aerobic exercise. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Sleep and our struggles with it chosen as the theme for mental health awareness week 2020

The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 will be Sleep, the Mental Health Foundation announced today. Click here to read MHF news piece

‘Safety Signals’ May Help Reduce Anxiety

For those struggling with anxiety disorders, using a “safety signal” — a symbol or sound never identified with a negative event — may help relieve some of their fear, according to new research in both humans and mice at Yale University and Weill Cornell Medicine. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Study reveals increased cannabis use in individuals with depression

New findings reveal the prevalence of cannabis, or marijuana, use in the United States increased from 2005 to 2017 among persons with and without depression and was approximately twice as common among those with depression in 2017. Click here for ScienceDaily article

Bullying Can Undermine Mental Health of Both Parties

New research suggests there is a two-way relationship between bullying perpetration and mental health problems among youth in the United States. Investigators discovered that bullying perpetration increased the risk of developing internalizing problems, and having internalizing problems increased the probability of bullying others. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Mental health trusts to share chair

Two mental health trusts in the East Midlands will share a joint chair from next year.  Click here for link. To access Health Service Journal and the full text of the article you will need a password. Please contact the library on 01905 760601

How Older Married Couples Face Chronic Health Conditions

As married couples age and develop chronic health conditions, the daily demands of coping with their own health issues as well as those of their spouse may take a mental toll, according to a new study at the University of Michigan (U-M). Read PsychCentral article here

State of a generation: Preventing mental health problems in children and young people

As part of the Mental Health Foundation’s 70th anniversary, we have commissioned three reports, each looking at a different stage in life and the key things that both challenge and support mental health at these stages. Click here to go to website

Improving Mental Health Services In Systems Of Integrated And Accountable Care: Emerging Lessons And Priorities

The Royal College of Psychiatrists report sets out recommendations for local and national health and care leaders to support the prioritisation of mental health as local areas develop into integrated care systems (ICSs). View King's Blog here

From dog-petting to desk yoga: do 'wellbeing weeks' make university less stressful?

Debt, academic pressure and social isolation are piling pressure on students, but what’s the best way of boosting mental health? Read newspaper article here