Change is on the horizons

In December 2009 the government launched New Horizons: A Shared Vision for Mental Health, a new cross-governmental strategy into how mental health and mental wellbeing can be incorporated into every aspect of our daily lives. It will tackle mental health problems for people of all ages; work to reduce suicides; improve outreach to help excluded groups access support; and tackle the stigma around mental illness.

In a summary of consultation responses about approaches to tackling stigma and discrimination the strategy document reports that:
'Tackling stigma and discrimination in one of the main priority areas for many respondents and there is strong support for maintaining and developing campaigns. Many also want to see greater legal protection against discrimination. Respondents want to see negative media reports challenged and positive use of the media, with those in public life willing to be more open about their own mental health issues. However, there is also a substantial view that the best way to tackle stigma is to mainstream mental health promotion and services or to improve mental health services. '

The broad evidence-based approach and cross-government support for the New Horizons strategy has been welcomed by a wide range of organisations, including Mind and Rethink. However, this support has been qualified with observations that the strategic vision in New Horizons needs to be followed up with concrete plans for action and the allocation of sufficient resources to achieve its ambitious aims.

Tackling stigma and discrimination is a key theme in the New Horizons strategy. The Department of Health has publicly re-stated its commitment to maintaining a strategic partnership with Time to Change and to host an inter-ministerial summit on cross-government action to tackle the stigma associated with mental illness.

But the government has yet to make any commitments to funding the continuation of the Time to Change programme when its charity funding from the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief comes to an end in 2011. The Department of Health has committed to funding its Shift anti-stigma programme until 2010/11 and to conducting two further public attitude surveys and has said that decisions on funding national stigma and discrimination initiatives will be reviewed over the next 12 months.

So the next 6 to 12 months are a critical time for the future of Time to Change. We are continuing to strengthen the evidence on the effectiveness and value for money of our work with the help of the Institute of Psychiatry. We are sharing our ideas with key individuals and organisations about what the next phase of Time to Change might look like. We are aiming to ensure that all political parties are engaged and informed in discussions about stigma and discrimination in mental health in the lead up to the General Election in 2010, through activities with Mind and Rethink partners.

All this while we are still implementing the current phase of our activity, which is increasingly proving that it is helping to change knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards people experiencing mental ill health and making a real difference to the lives of many people.