Commentary

14 Feb 2023

SANE responds to Joint Committee’s Draft Mental Health Bill report

SANE welcomes the report by the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill and its recognition that proper resourcing of the reforms will be crucial.

The Committee’s report follows extensive hearings to scrutinise the draft legislation.

The committee examined the extent to which the draft Bill would ensure …

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02 Dec 2022

Surge in teenagers suffering poor mental health

Latest figures from NHS Digital reveal a rise in the number of older teenagers suffering poor mental health, with up to one in four now facing serious distress.

The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022 report shows that among 17 to 19-year-olds, the proportion with a probable mental …

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03 Nov 2022

NHS investigation into teen deaths is “shocking” and “damning”

Three NHS England independent investigation reports have been published, following the deaths of three young women under the care and treatment of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV).

Christie Harnett and Nadia Sharif, both 17, and Emily Moore, 18, were all treated at West Lane Hospital in …

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08 Sep 2022

SANE responds to the death of Her Majesty The Queen

Marjorie Wallace CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of SANE, said:

“We at SANE are saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen and appreciate the warmth and compassion she showed for ordinary people facing the daily struggles of life.

“We extend our sympathy and immense gratitude to His Royal …

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06 Sep 2022

SANE responds to latest ONS data on suicides

The rate of registered suicides in England and Wales has risen to pre-pandemic levels following disruption and delays to coroners’ inquests during 2020.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were 5,583 suicides registered in 2021 in England and Wales, 6.9% higher than in 2020 (5,224 deaths), and equivalent …

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22 Jul 2022

SANE congratulates Rethink Mental Illness on 50th anniversary celebrations

As Rethink Mental Illness marks its 50th anniversary, people affected by mental health conditions, including families and carers, as well as campaigners owe a great deal to the charity’s remarkable work.

Rethink Mental Illness was founded in 1972 by John Pringle, when it was originally known as The National Schizophrenia …

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04 Jul 2022

Draft Mental Health Bill is a major step forward

The Government has published a draft Mental Health Bill to amend and modernise the Mental Health Act. The bill seeks to take forward recommendations made by the Independent Review of the act led by Professor Sir Simon Wessely. These were subsequently taken forward in the government’s white paper Reforming the …

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06 Jun 2022

Carers Week: Make caring visible, valued and supported

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed …

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27 May 2022

NICE rejects esketamine for treatment-resistant depression

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has rejected the use of esketmine for treatment-resistant depression for the third time.

Esketamine is said to work by changing brain chemicals responsible for mood, combatting feelings of depression in a matter of hours. 

Marjorie Wallace, Chief Executive of SANE, comments on …

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11 May 2022

New draft legislation to reform the Mental Health Act announced

The Government has pledged its commitment to bring forward a new draft bill to modernise the Mental Health Act.

The draft Mental Health Act Reform Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech (PDF 406KB), which sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the next parliamentary year, and was read out …

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