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Actions speak louder: tackling discrimination against people with mental illness
- Author:
- THORNICROFT Graham
- Publisher:
- Mental Health Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 77p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The report criticises the government's mental health anti-stigma campaign, entitled Shift and launched in 2004, for offering policymakers few recommendations for action to combat discrimination. Instead of pumping millions of pounds trying to change society's negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems, more effort should be made to ensure that anti-discrimination law actually protects such people against prejudice. Specifically, the Disability Discrimination Act should be used to protect those with a mental health diagnosis in the same way it does those with a physical disability. The act has been framed primarily in relation to physical disability, and does little to help people with mental health problems. The report lays out actions that policy-makers and campaigners, including Shift, which is run by the National Institute for Mental Health, should make to end discrimination against people with mental health problems. Suggestions include employers allowing the mentally ill not to work if impaired by medication, and providing them with an "external job coach" for counselling and support. The report also suggests modifying employment contracts for those people likely to be unwell for prolonged periods.
Net Working
- Author:
- SEEBOHM Patience
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Care, 4(2), October 2000, pp.68-69.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
Describes a new national network which aims to support employment, education and training opportunities for people with mental health problems.
Facts about carers 2012: policy briefing
- Author:
- CARERS UK
- Publisher:
- Carers UK
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 14p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This publication provides an overview of key facts and figures about carers. It includes information on: the number of carers; the characteristics of carers; what carers do; who carers care for; the impact of caring; and support for carers. It includes statistics on employment, health, age, tasks, finances and poverty, and rights. It reports that the vast majority of care in the UK is provided by family, friends and relatives. The care they provide is worth an estimated £119bn per year. Social services and the NHS rely on carers’ willingness and ability to provide care. The latest estimates suggest that there are nearly 6.5 million carers in the UK, a rise of just over 9%, from 5.8 million in 2001. This represents 10.5% of the total population, or 12.6% of the adult population.
The legal protection of persons with mental health problems under non-discrimination law: understanding disability as defined by law and the duty to provide reasonable accommodation in European Union member states
- Author:
- EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
- Publisher:
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 39p.
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
In 2009, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights launched a research project about the fundamental rights of people with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health problems. Noting that there is no common approach or agreement about these terms and that the language used varies between stakeholders, this report examines whether existing legal definitions of disability allow for the protection of people with mental health problems against discrimination, and how far the rights of people with mental health problems are adequately protected by existing non-discrimination legislation. It presents an analysis of international and European law, including United Nations standards, Council of Europe standards and European Union law. It also looks at the protection of people with mental health problems in national non-discrimination legislation across the European Union, covering disability as defined by European Union member state law and the duty to provide reasonable accommodation in the field of employment, and providing examples from member state legislation.
Harnessing the expertise of experience: increasing access to employment within mental health services for people who have themselves experienced mental health problems
- Authors:
- PERKINS Rachel, RINALDI Miles, HARDISTY Joss
- Journal article citation:
- Diversity in Health and Care, 7(1), 2010, pp.13-21.
- Publisher:
- Radcliffe Publishing
The User Employment Programme at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust was established in 1995 with the intention of increasing access to employment within mental health services for people who have themselves experienced mental health problems. The programme has two elements, a supported employment programme, and a Charter for the Employment of People who have Experienced Mental Health Problems which is designed to decrease employment discrimination. This article describes the employment outcomes that were achieved during the 12 year period between January 1995 and 2007. During that time 142 people with mental health problems were supported in 163 posts within the trust, 86% of whom continued to work or were engaged in professional training. At the time of appointment people with schizophrenia had been unemployed for significantly longer periods than subjects with other mental health problems. There was no significant association between length of time for which support was provided, job type, job grade or success in sustaining employment. In 2007, 23% of all recruits to the trust had experienced mental health problems. Recruits with mental health problems were more numerous among those recruited to higher-grade positions in the organisation. The authors comment that the findings strongly suggest that people who have experienced mental health problems can work effectively in ordinary positions within mental health services under the same terms and conditions as any other employees. They conclude that mental health services have an important role to play as exemplar employers of people with mental health problems.
Rights and regulations
- Authors:
- SIN Chih Hoong, FONG Janice, MOMIN Abul
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, November 2007, pp.32-35.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The Disability Rights Commission recently conducted a formal investigation (FI) into the impact of fitness standards on disabled people studying, qualifying, registering and working in the public sector professions of nursing, social work and teaching. This article reports on the key findings of the FI, with specific reference to mental health issues in relation to the nursing and social work profession.
Right on our side
- Author:
- JACKSON Catherine
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Care, 4(1), September 2000, pp.6-8.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
Reports on how legislation is just one of the many tools the Disability Rights Commission will be using to tackle discrimination.
Benefits flexibility pilots - a chance to put the arguments to the test
- Author:
- SCOTT Judy
- Journal article citation:
- A Life in the Day, 4(3), August 2000, pp.28-30.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The arguments about loosening up the benefits system to allow disabled people to work and retain more of their benefits need testing and evaluation in practice if they are ever to be resolved. The government's encouragement of area based initiatives to help improve the health and wealth of deprived communities provides an opportunity to do just this. Outlines one scheme being put forward.
The legal rights manual: a guide for social workers and advice centres
- Author:
- COOPER Jeremy
- Publisher:
- Arena
- Publication year:
- 1994
- Pagination:
- 448p.
- Place of publication:
- Aldershot
Provides social workers, advice centres and those engaged in caring for others, together with users, with an up-to-date text providing information and advice on legal rights. Covers a wide range of settings, including housing, the workplace, disability, mental health, dealing with the council and other public bodies, problems with the police, living with old age, and consumer goods and services.
Interventions to improve social circumstances of people with mental health conditions: a rapid evidence synthesis
- Authors:
- BARNETT Phoebe, et al
- Journal article citation:
- BMC Psychiatry, 22(302), 2022, Online only
- Publisher:
- BioMed Central
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: Poor social circumstances can induce, exacerbate and prolong symptoms of mental health conditions, while having a mental health condition can also lead to worse social outcomes. Many people with mental health conditions prioritise improvement in social and functional outcomes over reduction in clinical symptoms. Interventions that improve social circumstances in this population should thus be considered a priority for research and policy. Methods: This rapid evidence synthesis reports on randomised controlled trials of interventions to improve social circumstances across eight social domains (Housing and homelessness; money and basic needs; work and education; social isolation and connectedness; family, intimate and caring relationships; victimisation and exploitation; offending; and rights, inclusion and citizenship) in people with mental health conditions. Economic evaluations were also identified. A comprehensive, stepped search approach of the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus was conducted. Results: One systematic review and 102 randomised controlled trials were included. We did not find RCT evidence for interventions to improve family, intimate and caring relationships and only one or two trials for each of improving money and basic needs, victimisation and exploitation, and rights, inclusion and citizenship. Evidence from successful interventions in improving homelessness (Housing First) and employment (Individual Placement and Support) suggests that high-intensity interventions which focus on the desired social outcome and provide comprehensive multidisciplinary support could influence positive change in social circumstances of people with mental health conditions. Objective social isolation could be improved using a range of approaches such as supported socialisation and social skills training but interventions to reduce offending showed few benefits. Studies with cost and cost-effectiveness components were generally supportive of interventions to improve housing and vocational outcomes. More research is needed to ensure that social circumstances accompanied by high risks of further exacerbation of mental health conditions are adequately addressed. Conclusions: Although there is a large body of literature examining how to support some aspects of life for people with mental health conditions, more high-quality evidence is required in other social domains. Integration into mental health services of interventions targeting social circumstances could significantly improve a number of social outcomes. (Edited publisher abstract)