Cross party MP’s and lawmakers call on the government to improve services for eating disorders in a letter, sent to Secretary of State for Health and Social care MP Victoria Atkins. The letter, which has been signed by 23 MP’s and a member of the House of Lords, raises concerns about the palliative care pathways being used for patients with severe eating disorders. This letter also follows the recent #DumpTheScales march in London, organised by MQ Ambassador and campaigner Hope Virgo (pictured above at the march in April 2024). ““The figures alone are not creating action. This is where we ne ..read more

Last week, the MQ and DATAMIND Data Science Meeting took place in Swansea. The DATAMIND Hub expands the benefits of data by safely and securely combining data from multiple sources, such as health records, schools, administration, charities and more. Then, through the UK Health Data Research Innovation Gateway, researchers can discover the data and use it most effectively so that eventually we can together make the next breakthroughs in mental health science leading to a mentally healthier future for us all. Bethan Reeves (pictured above) is an early career researcher who attended the event i ..read more

Last week, a ruling was published rejecting calls from over 30 organisations to look at the impact the pandemic had on the mental health of children and adults as part of the Covid-19 Inquiry. The ruling, announced by Baroness Hallett, chair of the Inquiry, means that Module 3 of the Inquiry will look only at children’s inpatient care and not at other aspects of mental health in our communities during and post-pandemic. This means only a very small aspect of mental health services will be included and not adult community, adult inpatient treatment nor Children and Adolescent Mental Health Ser ..read more

On Thursday 25 April 2024, the DATAMIND and MQ Data Science Meeting took place in Swansea. The DATAMIND Hub maximises data's value by safely and securely uniting data from many sources, including health records, schools and administrative data, charity data, research trials, genomics, longitudinal studies and cohort data. DATAMIND ensures data can be found through the UK Health Data Research Innovation Gateway, meaning researchers can use the data to help address complicated questions about mental health. This in turn holds the potential to improve diagnosis, treatment and, ultimately, psych ..read more

Whether it’s age, gender, neurodivergence, genetics or environments, stress affects different people differently. There are contributing factors that mean certain people are more likely to experience the effects of stress than others.   Defining Stress   Stress is not a mental illness but it can be the cause of or the symptom of a mental illness. Around the world, stress is viewed differently in different cultures. In some Eastern cultures, stress is seen as an absence of inner peace, in other more Westernised cultures, it’s the loss of control. Biologically speaking, stress is a ne ..read more

One week ago, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave a speech causing concern when it comes to words he used about mental health. Language can be powerful, particularly in regards to mental health conditions. During this election year (2024), when party leaders want your votes, mental health has been thrust to the forefront of certain political policies. The Conservatives recent rhetoric has provoked a strong response from charity sector leaders and health organisations. In a previous article, we looked more closely at Rishi Sunak’s speech given on Friday 19th April to separate the science from t ..read more

Following last weeks sad news of the passing of MQ’s CEO Lea Milligan, MQ’s executive team have vowed to maintain the momentum he built.  The executive team, made up of Director of Finance and Operations Jey Balakrishnar, Director of Research Partnerships and Development Emily Wheeler and Head of Marketing Bryony Doughty are jointly leading the organisation for the interim.      "Whilst many will have known Lea for his passion, amazing energy, strategic thinking, public speaking and general impressiveness, they may only have guessed that he teamed that with being not ..read more

Last week, the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to review the fit note system for people who aren’t well enough to work, with a focus on mental health. His speech given on 19 April 2024 continued a rhetoric from the Conservative party regarding mental health that is concerningly stigmatising and inaccurate. In a speech given in central London on Friday, Mr Sunak said he would target Personal Independence Payments (PIP) if he won the next election, claiming the rising number of people signed off from work due to “mild conditions” such as anxiety and depression was “not sustainable ..read more

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of MQ’s CEO Lea Milligan who passed away following a sudden illness on Monday the 15th of April. Lea dedicated his life to helping other people. He turned down a place at Oxford University, deciding instead to launch his career in the charity sector. He started by delivering cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and alternative education programmes in prisons before becoming COO of City Gateway who provide support to at-risk children and women in Tower Hamlets. Lea then joined Mercy Ships UK, a charity that delivers lifesaving surgical ca ..read more

This Stress Awareness month, we’re considering how stress affects people differently and what to look for if you’re stressed. Although stress is not a mental illness, it can be the cause of, and the symptom of one. Some people are more responsive to stressful situations and it’s important to note that different people find different cues more stressful than others. None of us have the same circumstances, genetic makeup, support network or environmental factors, all of which can add to or ease stress. Juliette Burton, an MQ staff member, shares her recent personal experience of experiencing st ..read more