How it feels to be hospitalised for your mental health

Three women share their stories of life on a psychiatric ward. Read magazine article here

Choose evaluation methods: evaluating digital health products

Compare different evaluation approaches and choose an appropriate method. Click here for government guidance

Alcohol and drug misuse and treatment statistics

Statistics to support improvements in decision making when planning alcohol and drug misuse treatment services. Access government statistics here

Ramblers Walking for Health

Walking for Health targets older adults and those with long-term health conditions to improve and maintain their health and wellbeing. Read government case study here

Research leads to life changing improvement for some people living with depression

Deep brain stimulation study targets people with treatment-resistant depression. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Unhealthy and unhappy: Mental toll of troubled relationships

Some forms of domestic violence double victims' risk of depression and anxiety disorders later in life, according to recent research. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Reasonable adjustments for people with a learning disability

Guides on how reasonable adjustments should be made to health services and adjustments to help people with learning disabilities to access services. Click here to access government guides

Antidepressants may reduce anxiety more than symptoms of depression

An NIHR-funded trial has shown that one of the most common antidepressants, sertraline, reduces anxiety symptoms several weeks before it has an effect on depressive symptoms.
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Nasal spray medicine for treatment-resistant depression not recommended by NICE

A nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression has not been recommended by NICE because of uncertainties over its clinical and cost effectiveness. Click here to read NICE news

Mental Health: Victims and Witnesses with Mental Health Conditions and Disorders

This guidance identifies the principles relevant to victims and witnesses with mental health conditions or disorders. Read Crown Prosecution Service guidance here

Depression Around Menopause Often Goes Undetected

New research suggests a high number of women experience symptoms of depression during perimenopause yet the mental health issue is not detected and as a consequence, untreated. Read PsychCentral article here

Cognitive function in people with mental illness

A study has shown few differences in the profiles of genes that influence cognition between people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and the general population. This surprising finding could provide new insights into therapies designed to improve cognition.Read ScienceDaily article here

How Does Cyberbullying Impact Young Psychiatric Inpatients?

Cyberbullying can magnify symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young inpatients at an adolescent psychiatric hospital, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Government funding for occupational therapy students

In a speech today to the Policy Exchange, Minister for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock outlined new funding for pre-registration occupational therapy students in England. Read RCOT news piece here

Mental health: needs of gang-affiliated young people

A briefing on the burden of mental illness faced by young people involved with gangs, part of the 'Ending Gang and Youth Violence' programme. Click here to read government research and analysis

Country’s top mental health nurse warns video games pushing young people into ‘under the radar’ gambling

NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch has today called on gaming companies to crack down on gambling addiction risks by banning loot boxes from their products. Click here to read NHS news item

Rich rewards: Scientists reveal ADHD medication's effect on the brain

Researchers scan the brain to uncover how medication for ADHD affects the brain's reward system. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Delivering The Dementia Moonshot: A Plan To Find Life-Changing Treatments

This report calls on government to invest in six priority research areas, which will help to deliver a life-changing treatment for dementia by doubling research funding and speeding up trials for new treatments. Click here for link to King's Fund blog

Does It Matter What We Eat for our Mental Health?

A new expert review confirms a link between a poor diet and mood disorders.However, researchers in the new field of nutritional psychiatry caution that the evidence for many diets is comparatively weak. Click here to read PsychCentral article

Mix of stress and air pollution may lead to cognitive difficulties in children

Children with elevated exposure to early life stress in the home and elevated prenatal exposure to air pollution exhibited heightened symptoms of attention and thought problems, according to researchers. Early life stress is common in youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who also often live in areas with greater exposure to air pollution. Read ScienceDaily article here

HIV in the UK: towards zero HIV transmissions by 2030

A new report by Public Health England shows that HIV transmission in the UK has continued to fall. Read Government report here

Measuring Progress: Commitments To Support And Expand The Mental Health Workforce In England

This report finds that recent commitments to support and expand the mental health workforce have fallen short of their goals. To assess progress against these commitments and identify where further action is required, the report analyses workforce data and a survey of health care professionals working in the sector. Click here to read report

Beyond parity of esteem report

Doctors remain extremely concerned about the state of mental health services and the ability to deliver on commitments to achieve parity. Mental health services remain a long way behind most physical health services in terms of their resourcing, patient ability to access care and overall patient outcomes. This report outlines our findings about the state of mental health in England and recommendations for improvements. Read BMA report here

Older people encouraged to ditch “stiff upper lip” approach to mental ill health

NHS England and Age UK have joined forces in a campaign to encourage older people to access treatment for mental health conditions, as new analysis shows a majority of older people do not seek help.Click here to read NHS news link

Study sheds light on link between cannabis, anxiety and stress

A molecule produced by the brain that activates the same receptors as marijuana is protective against stress by reducing anxiety-causing connections between two brain regions, researchers report. Click here to read ScienceDaily article

Baby and Adult Brains Sync Up During Play Time

New research suggests that during play time, parents and their babies might be “on the same wavelength,” experiencing similar brain activity in the same brain regions. Read PsychCentral article here

Plants can improve your work life

In modern society, stress reduction in the workplace is a pressing issue. While it has been commonly assumed that plant life is soothing to those required to regularly face stressful or mundane situations, this study scientifically verifies the degree of psychological and physiological impact induced by indoor plants. Read ScienceDaily article here

How to build effective teams in general practice

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Mental health policy in England

House of Commons Library briefing on mental health policy in England. Around one in four people in the UK suffer from a mental health problem each year. The NHS has set out that it wants to achieve “parity of esteem” between mental and physical health, in terms of access to services, quality of care and allocation of resources.  Click here to read further.

Cognition May Progressively Decline in Later Stages of Psychotic Illness

A new study finds that people with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, show reduced cognition in several areas, and these impairments are likely to worsen with age.  Click here to read further.

Tau Protein Tangles May Predict Sites of Brain Degeneration in Alzheimer’s

Brain imaging of tau-protein “tangles” predicts the location of future brain atrophy in Alzheimer’s patients a year or more in advance, according to a new study.  Click here to read further.

Diet High in Refined Carbs May Trigger Insomnia in Older Women

A new study finds that postmenopausal women who eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates, particularly added sugars, may be at greater risk for insomnia.  Click here to read further.

Helping men to open up about mental health

Mental ill health can of course affect anyone, irrespective of age, gender or status. But men, especially those working in a ‘macho’ or competitive environments, can often struggle to open up, to say they need help and support. But, in conjunction with occupational health, there is much employers can do to make a difference, argues Phil Austin. Click here to read article

Meeting female street sex workers’ physical and mental healthcare needs

Nurses need to understand what forces women into street sex work if they are to meet the physical and mental health needs of this disadvantaged group. This article comes with a handout for a journal club discussion. Click here to link to article

DeAngela Pippen: Mental Health And Wellness Warrior

The new year signals a new start, making resolutions popular for many. The goals people set range from learning new skills to giving up bad habits, but the most common ones usually involve health and wellness, whether through exercise or diet. Read Birmingham Times article here

HRH Duke of Cambridge and football legends champion mental health

PHE launches new Every Mind Matters film on Emirates FA Cup third round weekend. Read government news piece here