Tag Archives: mental health

Sunderland University helps raise the profile of unpaid carers

March 16, 2013   Carers, disability, Older care

Sunderland carers’ starring role in exhibition

Sunderland University helps raise the  profile of unpaid carers by hosting special photography exhibition

 
A carer
The breaks that carers take from their roles have been captured on camera and will be unveiled at a North East exhibition next week.

The exhibition, called Time Well Earned, will be displayed at Sunderland University’s Showcase Gallery in the Priestman Building, City Campus, between Tuesday and April 19.

The university has joined forces with the Sunderland Carers’ Centre to raise the profile of unpaid carers – people who look after family members or friends who have a long-term illness, a disability or who are elderly and frail.

Many carers juggle care with employment and the level of care they give can exceed a full-time job.

The photographs show carers taking well-deserved breaks from their caring roles, and the idea for the project came from Daniel Dale, who is studying a photography degree.

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Why is the NHS 'biased' towards mental health patients?

March 14, 2013   Carers, Depression, mental health

Paul Burstow: NHS is ‘biased’ against treating mental health

The NHS is “biased” against treating patients with depression and other mental health problems, wasting billions of pounds a year as their conditions grow worse, a former minister is warning.

 

By , Political Correspondent

6:00AM GMT 14 Mar 2013

Paul Burstow said families were paying the price as government figures showed spending on mental health services fell by 1 per cent last year.

Patients are suffering a “postcode lottery” in services across the country, with some areas spending three times more than others on therapies and treatment, he said.

The Lib Dem MP, who was the Care Minister until September’s reshuffle, is to lead a new Commission on mental health, backed by the think-tank CentreForum, which is launched today.

Writing for telegraph.co.uk, Mr Burstow said: “The NHS default remains stubbornly biased towards physical health – a terrible false economy at the expense of people’s lives, as well as the public purse.

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Health officials have apologised for failing mentally ill patients

March 4, 2013   Carers, mental health

1 March 2013 Last updated at 21:27

Dorset health trust apologises for failing mentally-ill patients

 More than £1m has been spent on refurbishing Minterne ward and changes have been made to staffing levels and training

Health officials have apologised for failing mentally ill patients at an acute ward in Dorset following a damning report.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found patients on a ward at the Forston Clinic in Charminster did not receive appropriate and safe care.

Patients were not protected against the risk of abuse or unlawful, excessive use of control and restraint.

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust has made changes.

Health officials shut the Minterne Ward in December, following the four-day inspection, which found the ward was failing to meet 10 vital quality and safety standards.

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