Concerns at 'risk' over young people's mental health services

Children and young people who access mental health services in Wales continue to be put at risk, according to a new review.Continue reading the main story

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Some children were still being inappropriately admitted to adult mental health wards, the report said.

A mental health charity said it was disappointed frontline services still fell far short of acceptable standards.

The Welsh government said it would prioritise mental health services in its next meeting with NHS groups.

The joint review - by Health Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office - looked at action taken by the Welsh government and health boards in response to safety concerns raised in a previous report in 2009.

The report acknowledges some progress has been made in addressing safety issues highlighted but risks remained including:

• Some children and young people are still being inappropriately admitted to adult mental health wards
• Health professionals are failing to always share information and act on their safeguarding duties
• Unsafe discharge practices persist
• Community services providing intensive support, despite being expanded, are still not be available in all parts of Wales
• A lack of capacity is resulting in children and young people having to be placed out of the area in which they live to receive treatment....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25272914
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/children-young-people-accessing-mental-6391613

Exercise 'significant role' in reducing risk of dementia, long-term study finds

Regular exercise was a factor which could reduce decline in dementia

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• Exercise 'is good dementia therapy'
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• Active brain 'keeps dementia at bay'

Exercise throughout a person's life plays a significant role in reducing the risk of developing dementia, a study spanning 35 years has found.

The Cardiff University study following 2,235 men from Caerphilly, south Wales, found factors including diet and not smoking had an impact on preventing illnesses developing in older age.

However exercise had the single biggest influence on dementia levels.

Researchers stressed an overall healthy lifestyle was key to cutting disease.

The findings come just two days before a G8 summit on dementia, which is predicted will affect 135m people worldwide by 2050.

'Really amazed us'

The research by Cardiff University found the five factors that were integral to helping avoid disease were regular exercise, not smoking, low bodyweight, healthy diet and low alcohol intake.......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25303707

Call to halt fitness-for-work test for disabled people as court upholds ruling

Work capability assessment disadvantages people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and autism, finds court of appeal

The Royal Courts of Justice in London, where the court of appeal is based. The court has upheld a ruling that had been challenged by the DWP. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

The fitness-for-work test used to determine whether hundreds of thousands of disabled people are eligible to claim sickness benefits puts people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and autism at a disadvantage, the court of appeal has found, upholding an earlier ruling that had been challenged by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Three charities – Rethink Mental Illness, Mind and the National Autistic Society – welcomed the judgement and called for the government to stop using the "flawed assessment" immediately until this problem was fixed.........

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/05/call-halt-fitness-for-work-test-disabled

*NEW* Mental Health Advocacy and Human Rights: Your Guide

This Mental Health Awareness week, BIHR is pleased to launch Mental Health Advocacy and Human Rights: Your Guide, our latest practical resource to help respect and protect the human rights of people with mental health problems.  This guide has been produced with Mind Brighton and Hove, Wish and NSUN, three of the partner organisations involved in our Human Rights in Healthcare project.

Aimed at both advocates and people who use services, this handy guide explains how the Human Rights Act can be used in mental health settings to secure better treatment and care for people. It draws on real life stories of how laws and legal cases can be used in everyday advocacy practice, providing helpful flow-charts, worked through examples and top tips.

Sanchita Hosali, Deputy Director of the British Institute of Human Rights said:

“BIHR is delighted to launch Mental Health Advocacy and Human Rights: Your Guide.  As we know from working with our partners in Mind Brighton and Hove, Wish and NSUN, all too often people with mental health problems are marginalised or overlooked. We also know that when people understand that they have human rights which are protected by the law; this can give them and their advocates the confidence and power to voice their concerns and get the changes that are needed. We hope that our latest guide will be valuable resource for advocates and individuals, helping to ensure people with mental health problems are treated with equal dignity and respect.”

Click here to download your copy of Mental Health Advocacy and Human Rights: Your Guide.http://www.bihr.org.uk/sites/default/files/BIHR_mentalHealth%20Guide_WEB.pdf