Summary
This report examines how the NHS treats mental illness compared with physical illness. Mental illness is thought to account for nearly a half of all ill-health suffered by people under 65, but only a quarter of the people affected receive any form of treatment.
Note: The report does not cover either dementia or drug and alcohol misuse directly, but some of the figures and statistics presented do include data on these conditions.
Reference
How mental illness loses out in the NHS: a report by The Centre for Economic Performance’s Mental Health Policy Group. London: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); Mental Health Policy Group, June 2012.
Dementia: the Great Health and Social Care Challenge for the 21st Century
Probably of equal interest to readers of this information service is this contribution to the LSE’s Mental Health Policy Group. This broad-ranging paper summarises the challenges posed by dementia to health and social care systems and society, and covers strategies for their potential solution (up to late 2011). The development of dementia policy in the UK is reviewed. Professor Banerjee also examines critically the position of dementia in the context of secondary mental health services.
Note: This latter report of course pre-dates the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge.
Reference
Banerjee, S. (2011). Dementia: the great health and social care challenge for the 21st century. A semi-published presentation [grey literature] by Professor Sube Banerjee (Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London; Clinical Director MHOA, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Head, Centre for Innovation and Evaluation in Mental Health). London: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); Mental Health Policy Group, November 2011.
