Redbridge Concern Enews Bulletin

People with lived experience of mental health problems and other disabled groups in Redbridge believe that they are bearing the brunt of the cuts. Indeed,  the feeling is that progress on equality is going backwards. 

Over the last few years, we have repeatedly called on Redbridge Council  to carry out a cumulative impact assessment to determine what the impact of all the cuts and reforms have been on disabled groups.

We fully support and endorse the Council's decision to set up a Fairness Commission in Redbridge and we urge the Council to produce a full impact assessment and share it with the wider public so we can have an open and transparent dialogue on how the Budget proposals and cuts will impact on the wider community and, in particular, disadvantaged groups. 

Read our full response to the Budget Consultation here

New data from the Methodist Church has found that people with mental health problems are more likely to have their benefits stopped than those who need support primarily for another health condition. 

"Sanctioning someone with a mental health problem for being late for a meeting is like sanctioning someone with a broken leg for limping. The fact that this system punishes people for the symptoms of their illness is a clear and worrying sign that it is fundamentally flawed," said Mr Morrison

Staff turnover and complaints in mental health trusts could be suicide warnings

Researchers from The University of Manchester’s National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness investigated whether suicides were related to the way mental health services were organised based on staff and patient surveys, national databases and other records.

Their report, “Healthy Services and Safer Patients” is based on 13,960 patient suicides from 2004-12. They found that mental health services which had higher levels of non-medical staff turnover (e.g. nursing staff) and more complaints by patients were also more likely to have higher patient suicide rates.

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Date: Wednesday 18 February
Time: 2pm to 5.15pm
Venue: Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, Wanstead E11 2RQ
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