Norman Lamb

Why do people with mental health conditions die 15-20 years earlier than people without? Why is £100 million spent every year placing patients far from their homes? How did the question, 'What matters to you?' transform mental health care in Norway? We live in a country in which community is fading, inequality is growing, and discrimination is still far too common. At the same time, services dedicated to our wellbeing and mental health can feel less than human - ignoring or even adding to this growing crisis. Sir Norman Lamb - former Health Minister, NHS trust chair, and dedicated mental health campaigner - has seen the cracks in the system up close. In this book, he sets out to answer the questions above, and many others, uncovering the real reasons why our mental health services are failing. In its pages you'll read eye-opening stories from patients who have been let down, but you will also hear inspiring tales from trailblazers who are shaking things up with creative, community-first solutions. Sir Norman is clear - we need a mental health revolution - but what can we do to create mental health care which is more human?

Mental health has become the health issue that dominates debate above all others, but it remains poorly understood. One in four people will suffer a mental health issue in the course of each year, and most of them will not seek help because of the stigma that still attaches to mental ill health. Suicide rates are growing year on year. But why? Are we in the grip of a modern epidemic? And if so, how did we get here? To get under the skin of this, Psykhe throws new light on the history of mental health, offering a compelling description and analysis of how events from Classical times to the capitalist age have by turn shaped, reshaped, advanced, stultified and advanced again the course of human progress in this most difficult of medical disciplines. This is a gripping narrative that discusses not only how these events have defined todays attitudes towards mental ill health, and the modern-day services with which we seek to treat it, but also ultimately offers a fresh perspective on one of life’s most fundamental questions – just what does it mean to live well as a human in the twenty-first century?

This book is the perfect starting point for anyone looking to promote and encourage mental health in their school, or evaluate their existing provision, in line with current government priorities. It covers not only the day-to-day practical steps you can take to meet the mental health needs of learners, but also a provides a whole bank of ideas for ensuring you adopt a whole-school approach to positive mental health. Pooky Knightsmith lays out tried and tested tools you can use to evaluate the overall mental health of a school, showing how to improve and support the mental health of staff, and how to ensure that the voice of every learner is heard and valued, including the most vulnerable - and that everyone involved with the school feels safe, healthy and happy. Pooky's simple 'litmus test' framework lays out six practical areas you can explore to implement change within your own school, with explanations, sheets to fill in, tips from loads of school staff, and case examples that break these ideas down into easily digestible chunks. This much-needed book is a jumping off point for meaningful change in all aspects of your school community that will promote, support and strengthen mental health at whole-school level.