I watched this film soon after it was publicised and having just watched it again am horrified that the privatisation tank is rolling on with virtually no resistance. It is eighteen months since the film was made, and the latest steps towards full privatisation are currently proceeding in near secrecy. STP – Sustainability and Transformation… Continue reading the privatisation of the NHS
Tag: mental health
we are being forced to fix our own mental health (Guardian)
https://embed.theguardian.com/embed/video/commentisfree/video/2016/mar/30/were-being-forced-to-fix-our-own-mental-health-its-not-working-video excellent video from the Guardian – appalling statistics succinctly put
despair about duality
I have grappled with dual thinking about physical and mental illness for years, both professionally and personally. I had dared to hope that things were improving slowly, that mental illness was better accepted, if not understood, by the general population in the UK, even if not by the medical profession. Unfortunately I feel forced to… Continue reading despair about duality
The NHS, doctors on strike & other things
It feels as though we are reaching the end game with the NHS. The Guardian has launched a month-long ‘special’ looking at all aspects of the NHS, and something about the NHS features in the media nearly every day. The official narratives diverge more and more with the publication of each new set of figures.… Continue reading The NHS, doctors on strike & other things
casual tweeting hides unpleasant truths
A couple of bipolar-related issues caught my eye on twitter today. The first was a reported exchange at a senior management team meeting of a mental health trust. One consultant suggests empowering staff to advocate for patients. HR director replies: “This is a mental health trust, not Amnesty International.” I tweeted the person who’d reported… Continue reading casual tweeting hides unpleasant truths
parity of esteem for mental health remains a dream
The plight of Mohammad Asghar, a British citizen and resident of Edinburgh, is surely the stuff of nightmares. He is in a Pakistani jail, sentenced to death because of blasphemy. Recently he was shot in the back whilst in prison, apparently by a member of staff. It has been widely assumed by the British media… Continue reading parity of esteem for mental health remains a dream
robin williams & other things
I woke and heard the news about the death of Robin Williams with a sinking heart. For me, and I am sure many other manic depressives, it was doubly distressing. Distressing not only on the individual level – the loss of an extremely talented man, the loss of a husband and father – but also… Continue reading robin williams & other things
treating causes not symptoms
It is a good general principle to treat the cause rather than the symptom, although in modern medicine we seem to spend more and more times and money treating symptoms whilst acknowledging, but refusing to deal with, the causes. However what spurred me to write the previous post ‘losing a baby’ was listening to the… Continue reading treating causes not symptoms
why isn’t mental health taken seriously?
Amazingly, the headline on the 07.00 radio 4 news this morning was about the shortage of mental health beds. There was more detail on the BBC website, including details of a patient being admitted to a ward for deaf people, other patients in London being sent to B&B accommodation, and patients being sent hundreds of… Continue reading why isn’t mental health taken seriously?
retribution
I was horrified, but not surprised, to hear this morning’s news that the number of rape cases referred for prosecution in the UK has fallen by a third since 2011 – despite an increase in the number of rapes being reported to the police. The conviction rate for rape remains very low – 6%. Leaving… Continue reading retribution
crackedmirrors and angelpie 