In Europe a third of people experiencing mental illness do not receive treatment, however in some developing countries as many as 90% of people in need are not getting basic care.

The largest psychiatry trial conducted in the developing world, the Manas intervention, demonstrated that training lay people can play a crucial role in resource poor primary healthcare settings by delivering low level care to those suffering with anxiety and depression.

The randomised controlled trial was conducted in India where there are only 4000 psychiatrists, serving a population of 1.3 billion. The trial found that patients receiving care experienced 30% decrease in common mental health problems and were less likely to attempt suicide. There was also a reduction in the number of days taken out of work for illness.

Professor Vikram Patel, clinical psychiatrist who set up the trial commented "We need to empower everyone to be able to understand the commonsense... Read more

A study has shown  that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help women deal with symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, that many suffer after breast cancer treatment.

Due to the nature of the cancer and the medication they must take, hormone replacement therapy HRT is not recommended for the majority of breast cancer patients.

The women were given weekly 90 minute sessions of CBT which included learning ‘paced’ breathing and other strategies to help manage their emotions and discomfort. The results found that at nine weeks after starting therapy their problems had significantly decreased, and at six months they still found hot flushes and night sweats less of a problem. They also reported that their mood, sleeping patterns and general quality of life had all improved.

Prof Myra Hunter who lead the research commented that it is not unusual for CBT to be used to help patients with physical problems.

"We don't... Read more

Psychiatrists and psychologists in the UK are concerned that the DSM-5 manual due to be published in May will result in hundreds of thousands of people being labelled mentally ill due to behaviour that most people would consider normal.

A petition against the new manual was circulated by psychologists in the United States attracted 11,000 signatures. Among the anxieties to be labelled as mental health disorders in DSM-5 are shyness in children and loneliness.

Despite criticism, the American Psychiatric Association strongly defends DSM-5.  Darrel Regier, vice-chair of the DSM-5 task force commented "While we agree that human feelings and behaviours exist on a spectrum that contains some overlap of normal reactions to disease states, psychiatry also recognises that there are real and discrete disorders of the brain that cause mental disorders and that can benefit from treatment". Read more

Cameron’s work programme was established to help the long term unemployed get back into full time jobs.  The £5bn programme was promised to be "the biggest, boldest effort to get people off benefits and into work that this country has ever seen" and with unemployment currently the highest it has been for 17 years, the pressure for the programme to succeed couldn’t be higher.

The Guardian visited Hull to find out how G4S, one of the 18 private companies commissioned to run the programme, is currently tackling the challenge of getting people back into work.

The editors of three leading healthcare publications, the British Medical Journal, Health Service Journal and Nursing Times have simultaneously published an editorial describing the current NHS reforms a “damaging… unholy mess”.

The editorial reads "As the editors of the BMJ, Health Service Journal, and Nursing Times, we have divergent views on the government’s NHS reforms and its beleaguered Health and Social Care Bill. But on one thing we are agreed - that the resulting upheaval has been unnecessary, poorly conceived, badly communicated, and a dangerous distraction at a time when the NHS is required to make unprecedented savings. Worse, it has destabilised and damaged one of this country’s greatest achievements: a system that embodies social justice and has delivered widespread patient satisfaction, public support, and value for money. We must make sure that nothing like this ever happens again”.

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Burnham commented that: "The chorus of protest against... Read more

Research carried out by Oxford University has shown that fewer people in England are suffering from a heart attack, and fewer of those who do are dying as a result. The study used data on hospital admissions and mortality to study heart attacks between 2002 and 2010. Overall, the mortality rate fell by 50% for men and 53% for women, with fewer people smoking, greater use of statins and better NHS care being cited as contributing factors to the decline.search carried out by Oxford University has shown that fewer people in England are suffering from a heart attack, and fewer of those who do are dying as a result. The study used data on hospital admissions and mortality to study heart attacks between 2002 and 2010. Overall, the mortality rate fell by 50% for men and 53% for women, with fewer people smoking, greater use of statins and better... Read more

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has said that the government’s “happiness agenda” is in danger of promoting “middle class” materialistic aspirations. He claims that instead the focus should be on “resilience” to help people cope with life’s peaks and troughs.

Burnham believes that the concept of 'happiness' is too often defined by possessions and wealth, and that in a time of economic uncertainty and where communities are fragmented, this goal of 'happiness' is setting people up for a fall.

Burnham believes that the priority should be supporting people and help protect them from the stresses of modern living.

"Cameron and Clegg have done this whole thing about happiness, and I am not against the principle, but I think... Read more

An update on progress for Quarter 2 2011/12 has been released by Deputy NHS Chief Executive, David Flory. 

The update gives an account of how the NHS is performing at national level against the requirements and indicators set out in the NHS Operating Framework.

It also gives forecast figures for the savings that the Quality, Productivity, Innovation and Prevention Programme (QIPP) should generate broken down by sector alongside the actual savings realised this quarter by these groups.

A survey by the Royal College of General Practitioners has revealed that almost three-quarters of family doctors want the government to withdraw the health and social care bill.
When asked if the RCGP should call for the bill to be withdrawn, an overwhelming 98% of respondents replied that they either ‘supported’ or ‘strongly supported’ such an action.
The poll also revealed that just under 60% of respondents believed that the reforms would not result in more cost-effective delivery of care.

Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary commented on the poll claiming that "people will ask, how can plans that were meant to be based around GPs can possibly succeed when only two out of a hundred support... Read more

The Prime Minister will announce today that Trusts will be formally required to publish data on patient and staff views of their service.

New indicators will be created within national patient surveys based on patient experience, and whether they would want family members or friends to be treated at that hospital. Staff views on the hospital will also be included as an indicator.

There will also be new patient-led inspections focusing on cleanliness, food, privacy and dignity, the results of which NHS organisations will be required to publish.

The results of the survey will be published and the information will be used by regulators as a key indicator of quality and performance. Read more