Last week the NHS's National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse released figures showing how many teenagers are being treated for drug and alcohol problems in England.
The number of children seeking treatment for heroin and crack has fallen in the past few years, from a figure of 1,081 teenagers in 2005/06 (6% of the total being treated) to 657 last year (2%), treatment for cannabis misuse has remained steady; at 55% in 2005/06 and 53% now, it is the most common primary drug, a great worry .
Treatment for alcohol addiction has risen almost 100% , from 4,886 in 2005/06 (30% of the total) to 8,779 now (37%).
Use of harder drugs is low among under-12s; less than five pre-teens were treated for heroin or cocaine misuse and none were treated for problems relating to amphetamines, crack or ecstasy.
Cannabis and alcohol are by far the most common primary drugs for the teenage group
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
NHS stress phone service
The following article is from today's BBC news
NHS stress phone service launched
An NHS helpline to help people struggling with stress has been launched by the government.
The service is available across England, following concerns about the mounting problems people will face in coming months because of the economy.
Trained health advisers will staff the hotline - available on 0300 123 2000 - from 0800 to 2200 each day.
They will offer advice on debt, housing and employment, but can also put people in touch with mental health services.
It is estimated that a quarter of people with mental health problems experience debt, but a third of those do not ask for any help.
Average household debt is now almost £10,000, excluding mortgages, and recent surveys suggest up to half the population is worried about money because of the recession.
“ Job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress and helplessness ”
Jacqui Jedrzejewski, of NHS Direct
Care services minister Phil Hope said: "After the festive season many of us take a long hard look at our finances.
"Tightening our belts and getting out of debt always features high on the list of new year resolutions.
"But debt can have a serious impact on a person's mental wellbeing, causing stress, depression and even suicidal thoughts."
Jacqui Jedrzejewski, the mental health lead at NHS Direct, said the advisers were there to "offer sympathetic, relevant support and advice".
She added: "We know the credit crunch hits people in many different ways and job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress and helplessness."
The launch of the stress service, after a six-month pilot, comes after the government set out a new mental health strategy earlier this month.
The 10-year plan involved a series of measures, including the appointment of mental health co-ordinators to work with Job Centres.
Dedicated advice lines are also to be set up for small businesses to give their staff direct access to occupational health professionals to help them stay in work, while government-backed work placements are to be piloted to help people return to work.
Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and must count towards any inclusive minutes, according to Ofcom.
These rules apply to calls from any type of line including mobiles, landlines or payphones.
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Now the concept has to be applauded but the reality is that MH services in the UK are stretched to the very limit as it is , what's really needed in more FRONT LINE SERVICES which means extra funding streams .
NHS stress phone service launched
An NHS helpline to help people struggling with stress has been launched by the government.
The service is available across England, following concerns about the mounting problems people will face in coming months because of the economy.
Trained health advisers will staff the hotline - available on 0300 123 2000 - from 0800 to 2200 each day.
They will offer advice on debt, housing and employment, but can also put people in touch with mental health services.
It is estimated that a quarter of people with mental health problems experience debt, but a third of those do not ask for any help.
Average household debt is now almost £10,000, excluding mortgages, and recent surveys suggest up to half the population is worried about money because of the recession.
“ Job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress and helplessness ”
Jacqui Jedrzejewski, of NHS Direct
Care services minister Phil Hope said: "After the festive season many of us take a long hard look at our finances.
"Tightening our belts and getting out of debt always features high on the list of new year resolutions.
"But debt can have a serious impact on a person's mental wellbeing, causing stress, depression and even suicidal thoughts."
Jacqui Jedrzejewski, the mental health lead at NHS Direct, said the advisers were there to "offer sympathetic, relevant support and advice".
She added: "We know the credit crunch hits people in many different ways and job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress and helplessness."
The launch of the stress service, after a six-month pilot, comes after the government set out a new mental health strategy earlier this month.
The 10-year plan involved a series of measures, including the appointment of mental health co-ordinators to work with Job Centres.
Dedicated advice lines are also to be set up for small businesses to give their staff direct access to occupational health professionals to help them stay in work, while government-backed work placements are to be piloted to help people return to work.
Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and must count towards any inclusive minutes, according to Ofcom.
These rules apply to calls from any type of line including mobiles, landlines or payphones.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now the concept has to be applauded but the reality is that MH services in the UK are stretched to the very limit as it is , what's really needed in more FRONT LINE SERVICES which means extra funding streams .
Monday, December 28, 2009
RIP AKMAL SHAIKH
Today to its eternal shame China has been executed,Akmal Shaikh, 53, a father-of-three, of London,convicted of drug smuggling.
He had denied any wrongdoing and his family and other sources said he was mentally ill.
The execution took place despite repeated calls from his family and the British government for clemency
He had denied any wrongdoing and his family and other sources said he was mentally ill.
The execution took place despite repeated calls from his family and the British government for clemency
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas
Greetings at Christmas from Bradbury's blast
May you have friends at your fire,
blessings in your home, and joy in your heart. Merry Christmas
May you have friends at your fire,
blessings in your home, and joy in your heart. Merry Christmas
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The annual Health Survey
The annual Health Survey for England is to be published today, gives amongst other fascinating data details of the percentage of women and men who fail to meet the Department of Health target of taking 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day .
For women, the figure is a very disappointing 96%. Men do slightly better, however, in that only 94% of them fall short of the ideal figure .
The survey have discovered that we apparently spend most of our time watching television, looking at a computer screen, eating, studying or drawing. I'm with them all the way in this analysis. I congratulate the researchers on showing a real understanding of modern life – except for the last part: the drawing!
I think they've gone awry !!! did they conducted their survey in an art college?
For women, the figure is a very disappointing 96%. Men do slightly better, however, in that only 94% of them fall short of the ideal figure .
The survey have discovered that we apparently spend most of our time watching television, looking at a computer screen, eating, studying or drawing. I'm with them all the way in this analysis. I congratulate the researchers on showing a real understanding of modern life – except for the last part: the drawing!
I think they've gone awry !!! did they conducted their survey in an art college?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
INTERLINKED SOCAIL CARE AND HEALTH SERVICES IN WILTSHIRE
I blogged a few months ago on the Inter linked social care and health policy or lack of ! in THE PEOPLES NOT SO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF WILTSHIRE
I stated that in my humble opinion interlinked social care and health in Wiltshire seams to have suffered a few set backs within the county in the past few years , mainly caused so we are told by the turn down in the financial state of WC .
Since the creation of a single PCT and unitary authority we seam to have lost the will to achieve the great combined working that we enjoyed .
Wiltshire Council has just received a pay out from the Icelandic bank fund of £1,000,000-00 maybe some of this money could be used to reastablish a closer working relationship between the Council and the PCT ?
I stated that in my humble opinion interlinked social care and health in Wiltshire seams to have suffered a few set backs within the county in the past few years , mainly caused so we are told by the turn down in the financial state of WC .
Since the creation of a single PCT and unitary authority we seam to have lost the will to achieve the great combined working that we enjoyed .
Wiltshire Council has just received a pay out from the Icelandic bank fund of £1,000,000-00 maybe some of this money could be used to reastablish a closer working relationship between the Council and the PCT ?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
In an ideal world the ultimate goal of government should be the promoting of mental wellbeing. It's not 'surreal' to make policies on that basis as some media sources recently implied .
A policy based on wellbeing rather than on cure is both health and financially viable .
With a general election on the horizon this is a thougt worth bearing in mind .
A policy based on wellbeing rather than on cure is both health and financially viable .
With a general election on the horizon this is a thougt worth bearing in mind .
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