Anti Stigma in Mental Health
Alistair Campbell addressed an audience of over 1000 delegates at the NHS Confederation annual conference and exhibition on Thursday 11 June 2009 discussing his own personal battle with mental illness and urging the NHS to lead the way in tackling the stigma of mental health.
He said that despite the economic downturn there should be more investment in psychiatric services, which will help the government to meet its aims for crime, education and family. He also criticised the media for linking mental illness and violence, which helps to perpetuate negative stereotypes around people with mental health issues.
Keep up to date with Alistair’s blog
http://www.alastaircampbell.org/blog.php
Alastair is an ambassador for Time to Change, England's most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems. Its vision is to make lives better for everyone by ending mental health discrimination.
The programme of 35 projects is led by Mind and Rethink. It is funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4m from Comic Relief. It’s backed by international evidence on what works, and has at its heart people with direct experience of mental health problems.
Signing the Time to Change pledge demonstrates your organisation’s support for Time to Change and that you are working to end discrimination. It can provide a focal point for your activity or an opportunity to engage the local media.
There have been great results from the campaign so far with evidence that it is well-recognised and popular. The results suggest that it’s starting to have some impact on the attitudes of those who have seen it, even after such a short burst of activity:
The next wave of media activity, including TV advertisements, will start on 13 July and run throughout the summer and autumn. In September and October a roadshow will be launched across England. More information will be available shortly. This all leads up to Get Moving Week, 3-11 October, during which organisations across England will be running fun physical activity events to bring together people with and without mental health problems.. Social contact like this is proven to be one of the most effective ways of breaking down stigma. Get Moving events also promote the benefits of physical activity for everyone’s mental well-being.
Further information on Time to Change, and how you can plan your own anti-stigma campaigns, activities and events, is available on the Time to Change website. You can download free materials, including a toolkit full of tips and advice, and register your Get Moving events to ensure they are promoted on the Time to Change website. Time to Change can also put together tailored proposals for organisations who want to work in partnership to deliver local campaigns.