Rethink campaign successes

Employment and housing victory
The first Government target ever has been announced on severe mental illness. All local councils will have to do more to help people with severe mental illness get accommodation and part-time or full time jobs Government spending for the next 3 years.

We need to talk
We need to talk was a campaign by Rethink, Mind, the Mental Health Foundation, the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and Young Minds that called for the NHS to act on NICE recommendations to offer psychological therapies to people who need them. The campaign included a petition of 9000 signatures that was submitted to the Department of Health. 

The government have now announced that funding for psychological therapies will rise to £170 million a year by 2010/11, this should ensure that talking therapies are available to all those that want them within six years.

Thank you to all of you who signed the petition and supported the campaign.

Mental Health Act 2007 - new rights
Everyone will now have a right to advocacy if they are detained for mental health treatment for more than 72 hours. See more information about the new Mental Health Act 2007.

Welfare Reform victory
Thanks to Rethink's work, people being assessed for benefit entitlement will now have both their physical and mental health considered.Read more about Rethink's victories on the Welfare Reform Act

Anti-stigma campaigns
After our campaign in Norwich, double the previous number of people said that they had experience of mental illness. Our Northern Ireland campaign was even bigger and better with Rethink's first TV ad. Norwich campaign results Northern Ireland anti-stigma campaign

Mental Health Budget Cuts
We identified £60m worth of cuts and the Secretary of State said mental health shouldn't be disproportionately cut. Mental health budget cuts 

Cannabis 2004-6
Since 2004, Rethink has been speaking out about the need to give people information about the mental health risks of cannabis. In 2006, our campaign convinced the Government they needed to invest in health campaigns on cannabis, not further punitive measures.  Rethink's cannabis victory

GP Contract Campaign 
Two of Rethink’s three recommendations were acted on so that most GPs will now provide information on diet, smoking and exercise to people with severe mental illness. Previously, Rethink had uncovered evidence that people with severe mental illness die 10 years younger average from physical health problems, but GPs were not giving out health promotional advice. This new provision will help to ensure that people get the health information they need. Read more about the GP contract victory

The Government promises a well-funded programme of education on cannabis after Rethink gives evidence to Government experts. Cannabis and mental illness campaign