Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem through our award-winning publications and our two confidential telephone lines: Mind Infoline and our Legal Advice Service.
One in four people will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, so the chances are you know somebody who has been affected. Furthermore, figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show antidepressant prescriptions in England alone have increased year on year to a record 53 million last year.
Even though demand for mental health services is increasing, mental health trust budgets have fallen an average of 2.3 per cent since 2011. A recent report by Mind as part of the We Need to Talk Coalition found that in certain parts of the country, people were struggling to access talking therapies. In fact, one in ten people were waiting over a year – this would not be acceptable for a physical health problem. Increasingly, people are turning to Mind for support – Mind Infoline received 50 per cent more calls in 2012/13 than it did the previous year.
Despite the prevalence of mental health problems, many people feel unable to talk about mental health. That’s why Mind, together with Rethink Mental Illness, runs Time to Change, an anti-stigma campaign in England. Since its launch in 2007, Time to Change campaigning has reached millions of people and has seen an 11 per cent reduction in discrimination as reported by people with mental health problems. We are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.
In England and Wales, Mind offers specialised support and care based on the needs of the community, allowing them to help 280,000 people across England and Wales. In this tough economic climate, Mind needs your support to ensure they can reach everyone who needs them.
Mind relies on the generosity of its supporters to continue its work. To make a donation, please visit www.mind.org.uk/donate or find out how you can fundraise at www.mind.org.uk/events. Your donation, however large or small, can make a huge difference.
Further information:
Mind: www.mind.org.uk
Mind’s infoline is available on 0300 123 3393 and Legal Advice Service can be reached by calling 0300 466 6463 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 6.00pm)
