Rethink in the news archive

Rethink often appears in national, local, and trade press, see below for May - June 2010 highlights.

National stories

In May, Rethink's chief executive, Paul Jenkins, was quoted in The Guardian saying that money currently spent on a prison scheme for people with dangerous and severe personality disorder would be better spent on keeping people with mental illness out of prison.

In The Times, Rethink's senior financial inclusion officer, Sarah Murphy, is quoted in an article advising people affected by mental illness on how to manage their money.

Also in The Times, columnist Dr Tanya Byron recommends the Rethink Advice and Information Service to a reader whose housemate may be suicidal.

Trade press

A letter from Rethink's head of research and evaluation, Dr John Larsen, was printed in Community Care as its letter of the week. Larsen wrote that “personalisation” can “deliver real power and choice to people affected by severe mental illness” and urges social workers to "...help develop new practices that will work for all."  

As part of its news round-up, leading specialist magazine, the Health Service Journal (HSJ), referred to comments made by Paul Jenkins in The Times. Jenkins had warned about cuts to mental health services.

Therapy Today reported Paul Jenkins's warning that an extra 5% of cuts to mental health services could lead to people with severe mental illness losing access to counselling services.  

Public Finance magazine ran an interview with Paul Jenkins on the implications of further cuts to mental health services.

Mental Health Practice featured Diversion Dividend, a criminal justice report by Rethink and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.

Women's magazines

Rethink's fundraising officer, Vikkie Judd, is included in a three-page mental health special in popular women's weekly magazine Reveal.

Vikkie says her life has improved since receiving specialist psychological therapy for severe depression.

Local stories

There have been many Rethink stories in local newspapers. A letter from Paul Jenkins was printed in the Evening Standard (London) in response to a column that referred to "stabby schizophrenics".  The letter expressed concern at the glib use of inappropriate language.

The Southern Daily Echo reported that through a school-based project, Rethink in Hampshire is educating teenagers about the importance of looking after their mental health.

In an article that appeared in the Nottingham Evening Post, a Rethink spokesperson says that "violence is not a symptom of mental illness...Rare violent incidents, usually sensationalised by the media, are often linked to a failure to provide adequate mental healthcare support”.

A number of Rethink media volunteers wrote open letters to their MPs urging them to protect their mental health services.  Letters were printed in the Torquay Herald Express, Daventry Express, Congleton Chronicle and the Bracknell and Ascot Times.

Further information