• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Mental health survey findings could be sign of a “tipping point”

Mental health survey findings could be sign of a “tipping point”

By guest on 23rd June 2009 Category: News Archive

Listen

The public have become more positive about including people with mental health problems in their local community, according to an annual survey.
The survey for the Department of Health of more than 1, 750 adults in England found that the proportion of people who believe mental health services should be provided in the community has increased from 72 per cent to 79 per cent since last year.
Those who agree that people with mental health problems have the same right to a job as anyone else increased from 66 per cent in 2008 to 73 per cent in 2009.
And 61 per cent agree that people with mental illness are far less of a danger than most people suppose, a four per cent rise since 2008.
But public attitudes have not improved in some areas. Those who agree that one of the main causes of mental illness is “a lack of self-discipline and willpower” rose from 14 to 18 per cent.
And the percentage who would not want to live next door to a person who has been mentally ill has risen from eight per cent in 1994 – when the survey was first carried out – to 11 per cent in 2009.
And the proportion agreeing with the need for more tolerant attitudes has fallen from 92 per cent in 1994 to 85 per cent in 2009.
The anti-stigma campaign Time for Change, which is led by the mental health charities Mind and Rethink, said the figures suggest public attitudes towards mental health “are finally taking a turn”.
Sue Baker, director of Time to Change, said: “Deep-seated prejudices are starting to shift and it’s a further sign that we are heading towards a tipping point in England and that there is a real appetite for change.”
But she added: “Our challenge is to turn attitudinal change into behavioural change to reduce the incidents of discrimination that are still so widely reported by people with mental health problems.”
Phil Hope, the care services minister, said: “There’s no question that even now in the 21st century, prejudiced and outdated attitudes to mental health problems still exist, leading to discrimination and social exclusion. But this survey shows that some attitudes are starting to change for the better.”
He said the government would be consulting on how to improve attitudes as part of its New Horizons programme later this year.
June

Share this post:

TwitterFacebookWhatsAppReddit

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

Access

Latest Stories

Disabled high-rise leaseholders are living in post-Grenfell fear of fire and financial ruin

Disabled people highlight scores of lockdown concerns

Regulator investigates DWP over universal credit ‘cover-up’

Tomlinson held just a handful of external meetings every month early in pandemic

US retail giant faces legal action over new face covering rule

Minister allows transport industry its fourth exemption from access laws

Government’s pandemic failings caused us ‘horrendous’ challenges, say DPOs

Watchdog has approved care settings for COVID patients in only three-fifths of areas

High court is asked to order fresh inquest into death of Jodey Whiting

MPs call for inquiry into government’s role in COVID deaths of disabled people

Advice and Information

DWP: The case for the prosecution

Readspeaker

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web