Editorial
| Pages | 117-118 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-07-2016-0030 |
| Published date | 19 September 2016 |
| Date | 19 September 2016 |
| Author | Woody Caan |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Woody Caan
On 1 July 2016, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a Resolution on Mental Health and
Human Rights, led by Portugal and Brazil and co-sponsored by 61 countries, with more
countries still joining. The resolution addresses a range of rights issues around mental health, for
example: “the need for States to take active steps to fully integrate a human rights perspective
into mental health and community services, particularly with a view to eliminating all forms of
violence and discrimination within that context, and to promote the right of everyone to full
inclusion and effective participation in society”.
In the UK, the five year forward view for mental health of the Mental Health Taskforce (2016) is
beginning to stimulate fresh thinking, for example about health inequalities within mental health.
Gender inequalities are one area of concern, in planning either prevention or care for mental
illness. Scott and McManus (2016) found that women experiencing violence and abuse are far
more likely to experience disadvantage across multiple areas of their lives. About 5 per cent of
women have experienced extensive abuse as both children and adults (compared to 1 per cent
of men), and 54 per cent of these women develop a common mental illness, (such as
depression). Women physically and sexually abused in both childhood and adulthood are far
more likely to attempt suicide (36 per cent) than women with little history of abuse (2 per cent).
Earlier this year there had been some discouraging news for young women, when the
Department for Education sacked Natasha Devon as children’s Mental Health Champion
(Aitkenhead, 2016). She had been a determined advocate for improved mental health, especially
around body image. However, hopes for better gender equality in planning rose with a
roundtable event in June, organized by the charity Agenda, to discuss “Women’s Mental Health”.
In total, 18 national agencies were represented, including such good friends of the JPMH as the
Mental Health Foundation and Public Health England. There was interesting news about the
future appointment of a “Mental Health Equalities Champion”for England and an assurance that
Public Health England is to consider women’s mental health within its agenda for prevention.
If roundtable “wish lists”are to be realised, resources will need to be released by the health and
social care commissioners. Later in June, I attended the annual conference Health+Care 2016. It
was really encouraging to hear the session on “Commissioning for improved mental health”.
Speakers included the new National Clinical Director for Mental Health, Tim Kendall, and the
session was chaired by Phil Moore of the Mental Health Commissioners’Network.
Improved mental health will need both new resources and new professional skills. Historically,
the Faculty of Public Health has a role in defining professional skills in the UK. The 2016 annual
conference of the Faculty was entitled “Public Health in a Cold Climate. Melting Hearts and Minds
with Evidence”. A key public health theme this conference tackled was “mental health and
wellbeing”. A member of our Editorial Advisory Board, Sarah Stewart-Brown, chaired the
Faculty’s mental health committee. At the conference they launched a groundbreaking report,
Better Mental Health for All (Faculty of Public Health & Mental Health Foundation, 2016).
Professor Stewart-Brown’s team produced an abundance of good ideas. I would especially
recommend readers of JPMH consider the section of their report on:
■What can public mental health practitioners and other professionals do to support their own
mental wellbeing?
In medicine (and many other professions) women have generally experienced unequal career
opportunities and less support in their professional development (Bewley and Bewley, 2016). Gender
inequalities have presented distinct challenges to occupational mental health systems. I recall when
overconfident policy-makers like Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to lecture my female colleagues on
Improving Working Lives for Doctors (Department of Health, 2002): that did not go down well!
DOI 10.1108/JPMH-07-2016-0030 VOL. 15 NO. 3 2016, pp. 117-118, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729
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Editorial
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