Campaigns research

Projects which have worked particularly well are reported so that recommendations for further work can be based on good practice. Reports from the large Rethink campaign, ‘Mental Health First’ are also available here. (See the Mental Health First page in the Campaigns section for more information about the Mental Health First Campaign.)

•  A Question of choice report– this piece of research represents the largest ever survey of people’s views on medicine and other interventions for mental illness.
• Mental health in the mainstream book– Rethink established a campaign in 2004 called ‘Mental Health First’. The main aim was to place mental health within the mainstream of health and social care reform. ‘Mental Health in the Mainstream’ was a major part of the campaign, consisting of working papers, seminars, focus groups and a book.
• Mental health in the mainstream - Development and trends in mental health policy. Working paper one– the first report from Mental Health First addresses developments and trends in mental health policy.
• Mental health in the mainstream - Mental health and social inclusion. Working paper two– the second report from Mental Health First explored mental health and social inclusion.
• Mental health in the mainstream - A good choice for mental health. Working paper three– the third report from Mental Health First provides a summary on future direction to mainstream mental health policy and practices.
• Future Perfect - Mental health service users set out a vision for the 21st century– what should mental health services look like in 10 or 20 years time? Rethink collaborated with IPPR to produce this report as part of the Mental Health First programme, in order to clarify the state of services at the current time and create a vision for the future. This report is based on the views and experiences of service users and carers.
• Consultation: Mental Health - the Commissioning Challenge (129 kb) – this consultation was produced by Rethink and the NHS Federation to prompt a debate on the big issues relating to commissioning mental health services.
• Behind Closed Doors (434 kb) – this report is the work of three national mental health charities: Rethink, SANE and The Zito Trust and top clinicians. The report investigates the current state of hospital care for people with psychiatric illnesses.
• Doesn't It Make You Sick? (2635 kb)  – using the results from ‘A Question of Choice’, this report looks at people’s experiences of the side effects of medicine, and the physical health effects of mental illness.
• Is Cost a factor I and II– results from ‘A Question of Choice’ show that the older, typical antipsychotics are still being prescribed to most people, despite advances in medication with the development of atypical antipsychotics. This report is based on a questionnaire completed by psychiatrists regarding the prescribing of Clozapine and Risperidone in the UK.