NIMHE attack on stigma

Mental Health Nursing,  Nov 2004  

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Shift, a five-year initiative in England to tackle stigma and discrimination about mental health issues was launched last month to coincide with World Mental Health Day, by the national Institute for mental Health in England. (NIMHE)

The initiative has the support of people and organisations in the UK and internationally. They includes the Disability Rights Commission, The Samaritans, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, Mind, Mental Health Foundation and Mental Health Media.

The brand draws on learning from 1-1 interviews and focus groups carried out with people affected by mental health problems, those working in health and social care, job centres, HR managers and young people. The research found that society must do more to acknowledge how people are stigmatised revealed how people said they are often not aware they are discriminating.

Shift seeks to address these issues by communicating the impact of people's behaviour, motivating people to get involved in different projects, giving practitioners new skills and supporting people affected by mental health problems to play a central role in the initiative.

A series of postcards and posters using the headline 'We all have a mental health problem' are aimed at young people, public services, private and voluntary organisations, and the media - Shift's main target audiences. The materials highlight people's experiences of stigma and discrimination as more damaging than symptoms of the mental health problem itself.

The resources for people with mental health problems will also be produced in hard copy as a leaflet. Versions for service users as well as staff in inpatient and community services are available now on www.shift.org.uk - the primary care version is due to be published in November.

Copyright Community Psychiatric Nurses Association Nov 2004
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