A Schizophrenia Commission report said care for people with schizophrenia requires a major overhaul. Patients spend too long in ‘demoralised and dysfunctional’ hospital wards costing £12bn a year. Schizophrenia affects thinking, feeling and behaviour. There is a need for more early intervention teams to help people before their hallucinations or delusions become severe. Teams are being cut or diluted at the moment and secure care took 19% of the 2011 mental health budget with many people staying too long in expensive units. In inner cities secure units were compared to mental institutions with nurses often overwhelmed. Better use of ‘recovery houses’ providing an alternative to hospital admission are needed. Schizophrenia affects 1 in every 100 people. Schizophrenia is believed to make people violent, but people with schizophrenia are more likely to be victims of violence by others. Pray for people with mental health problems to have the same dignified care as anyone else.
Pray: that the Government would consider mental health a priority and improve out-patient care and in-patient units. (Is.32:4, 17-18)