Social services improving – but more progress needed

In his Annual Report, the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (SSIW) has warned that whilst social services are generally improving, there is much to do in some local authority areas…

Incapacity benefit proposals published today

The UK Government will today pledge to get 1 million people claiming incapacity benefit back into employment in the next decade. Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton will unveil a Green Paper on welfare reform that proposes a new benefits system aimed at getting those who can back to work…

GPs paid to get patients off Incapacity Benefit?

Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has indicated that under the proposed reform of the Incapacity Benefit system, GPs could get financial incentives to help people off Incapacity Benefit. Employment advisers could be stationed in surgeries to work with GPs, offering people who have a sick note advice on working in another kind of job, and local councils may be offered financial rewards for back-to-work schemes…

Possible diet link to mental health

New reports published by the Mental Health Foundation and Sustain suggest that modern diets may be playing an important role in the rise of mental illness.

Psychiatric inpatient services failing patients

In Place of Fear?, the eleventh biennial report of the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC) that will be laid before Parliament today, has heavily criticised psychiatric inpatient services in England and Wales as having unacceptable levels of care and security and fostering a climate of fear…