Latest news with #SarahHughes
North Wales Live
a day ago
- Health
- North Wales Live
Government urged to back arts and crafts on prescription for mental health
Healthcare experts should prescribe structured arts and craft activities to support people currently experiencing mental health challenges or loneliness, according to a new report. A new survey found that that 8.8million people in the UK already use creative activity to improve their mood. The survey by Hobbycraft, supported by mental health charity Mind, found 72% of the nation are in favour of healthcare experts recommending arts and crafts as 40% are experiencing some level of mental health challenge. Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind said: "One in four of us have a mental health problem and millions of people are on waiting lists for support. The solution to the mental health crisis requires a wide range of approaches, and acknowledging the role crafting can play in people's wellbeing should be part of that.' Hobbycraft has written to the government to call for greater awareness, consistency and more widespread adoption across the country for arts and crafts to be prescribed by healthcare professionals, as part of existing NHS social prescribing schemes, and to be given greater priority in wellbeing strategies. Pottery tops the wish list of new crafts most people would love to try. It's a hobby loved by actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, who cites pottery as something that 'saved me'. Another hobby rising in popularity is model making, which is a favourite with actor Danny Dyer, while classic crafts like crocheting remain popular across the globe, with stars from Katy Perry to Ryan Reynolds sharing their love for the hobby. Alex Willson, CEO of Hobbycraft said: 'This research echoes what we hear from customers every day: crafting is far more than a hobby. Whether it's stitching, painting, or pottery, these hands-on activities help people slow down, express themselves, and feel more connected. We'd welcome crafts and hobbies being formally recognised as a tool for wellbeing within healthcare settings. 'As we look to the future, we are committed to continuing our work with Mind to ensure that more people can experience the joy and healing power of crafting. This report is just the beginning, and together, we hope to make creativity a cornerstone of wellbeing in communities across the country.' Hobbycraft is launching in-store Mindful Mondays – offering crafters a free and welcoming space to craft, make friends and feel part of their community. These will be free to attend and launch in September in selected stores.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Government urged to back arts and crafts on prescription for mental health
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Healthcare experts should prescribe structured arts and craft activities to support people currently experiencing mental health challenges or loneliness, according to a new report. A new survey found that that 8.8million people in the UK already use creative activity to improve their mood. The survey by Hobbycraft, supported by mental health charity Mind, found 72% of the nation are in favour of healthcare experts recommending arts and crafts as 40% are experiencing some level of mental health challenge. Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind said: "One in four of us have a mental health problem and millions of people are on waiting lists for support. The solution to the mental health crisis requires a wide range of approaches, and acknowledging the role crafting can play in people's wellbeing should be part of that.' Hobbycraft has written to the government to call for greater awareness, consistency and more widespread adoption across the country for arts and crafts to be prescribed by healthcare professionals, as part of existing NHS social prescribing schemes, and to be given greater priority in wellbeing strategies. Pottery tops the wish list of new crafts most people would love to try. It's a hobby loved by actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, who cites pottery as something that 'saved me'. Another hobby rising in popularity is model making, which is a favourite with actor Danny Dyer, while classic crafts like crocheting remain popular across the globe, with stars from Katy Perry to Ryan Reynolds sharing their love for the hobby. Alex Willson, CEO of Hobbycraft said: 'This research echoes what we hear from customers every day: crafting is far more than a hobby. Whether it's stitching, painting, or pottery, these hands-on activities help people slow down, express themselves, and feel more connected. We'd welcome crafts and hobbies being formally recognised as a tool for wellbeing within healthcare settings. 'As we look to the future, we are committed to continuing our work with Mind to ensure that more people can experience the joy and healing power of crafting. This report is just the beginning, and together, we hope to make creativity a cornerstone of wellbeing in communities across the country.' Hobbycraft is launching in-store Mindful Mondays – offering crafters a free and welcoming space to craft, make friends and feel part of their community. These will be free to attend and launch in September in selected stores.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
The toxic effect of poverty on children's health
In the last 18 months I've found myself having to respond to claims that mental health culture has gone too far, that we're over-diagnosing mental health problems and that we're simply medicalising the ups and downs of life. I hope the children's commissioner's report (Children in England 'living in almost Dickensian levels of poverty', 8 July) is a moment for everyone to reflect on what the 'ups and downs' of life look like for too many young people: going without food, cold and mouldy homes, and not feeling safe in the area you live. There is a toxic relationship between poverty and mental health. A fact reinforced by the latest NHS data, showing that mental health problems among adults are at record levels, with people in the most deprived areas hardest hit. As the report itself cites, young people are understandably concerned about waits for mental health treatment. And with good reason – 35,000 young people have been waiting for more than two years for mental health support. Tackling mental health waiting lists and drivers of poor mental health must now be a priority for this Sarah HughesCEO, Mind Many readers must have been shocked by the report that children in the UK are living in 'almost Dickensian levels of poverty'. Abolishing the two-child limit on benefits would lift many out of poverty. The cost of doing this has been estimated by the Resolution Foundation as £3.5bn. This may seem a lot. However, every year £23bn of benefits go unclaimed, according to Policy in Practice. Why not use this money? It would benefit the children, their families and the places in which they PahlProfessor emeritus of social policy, University of Kent Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Rhyl Journal
27-06-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
‘Deeply worrying' rise in mental health conditions in England, figures show
There has also been a particular rise in mental health problems among women, while the proportion of people reporting ever having self-harmed has quadrupled since the year 2000, figures show. Health leaders said the findings 'paint a deeply worrying but sadly unsurprising picture' amid warnings that the system is 'overwhelmed, underfunded and unequal'. It is the first time since 2016 that data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, which is carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), the University of Leicester, and City St George's, University of London, on behalf of NHS England, has been released. It found that more than one in five people aged 16 to 74 had reported so-called 'common mental health conditions', which include generalised anxiety disorder, depressive episodes, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic disorder. Problems were more common in young people, with more than a quarter of those aged 16 to 24 reporting having any of these conditions, up from 17.5% in 2007. There was a particular rise among people in this age group reporting OCD, which rose from 1.8% in 2014 to 5.7% in 2023/24. There was also a sharp increase in the number of women aged 16 to 24 reporting these mental health problems. Some 36.1% said they had any one of the conditions listed, up from 28.2% in 2014 and 22.2% in 2007. The hike among women was evident across all age groups. Outside those aged 16 to 24, the biggest rise was among women aged 35 to 44, which increased from 22.3% to 29.1%. Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said: 'The nation's mental health is deteriorating, and our current system is overwhelmed, underfunded, and unequal to the scale of the challenge. 'After the trauma of the pandemic, the relentless cost-of-living crisis, and persistent racial inequalities, it is no surprise that mental health has suffered, especially for the young. 'But it is unacceptable that services still aren't meeting people's needs.' Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of Sane, said: 'The most shocking and often overlooked fact is that people with serious mental illness continue to lose 15-20 years of their lives due to underfunded and under-resourced mental health services. 'The majority of people diagnosed with mental ill health either receive no treatment at all or the help they are given is mostly in the community and is patchy and inadequate. 'This report exposes the huge scale of need facing a system that is already in breakdown, particularly involving the services available to young people.' Elsewhere, there was a rise in the number of people who reported ever having self-harmed, as well as an increase in those who experienced suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide in the 12 months leading up to the survey. The survey found: – Some 10.3% of adults reported ever having self-harmed, more than four times the 2.4% reported in the year 2000 and up from 3.8% in 2007 and 6.4% in 2014. – The proportion of those reporting self-harm was highest among 16 to 25-year-olds (24.6%), with more than one in three (31.7%) women in this age group saying they had self-harmed. – The number of adults who told the survey they had experienced suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months increased from 3.8% in 2000 to 6.7% in 2023/24. These thoughts were highest among 25 to 34-year-olds (32.9%). – The proportion of adults who reported attempting suicide also doubled from 0.5% in 2000 to 1% in the latest survey. – Elsewhere, the data suggests unemployed people and those in debt were more likely to have a common mental health condition or report non-suicidal self-harm. – Prevalence of these conditions, as well as suicide attempts, were also common among people living in the most deprived fifth of areas in England. – However, the survey found the number of 16 to 74-year-olds with common mental health conditions who reported having treatment rose from 39.4% in 2014 to 47.7% in 2023/24. Dr Hughes added: 'We are seeing some benefits of investment – more people are accessing support, and that's progress. 'However, waiting lists remain long, and care is patchy, and many are left to struggle alone while they wait for support.' Rebecca Gray, mental health director at the NHS Confederation, said the figures 'paint a deeply worrying but sadly unsurprising picture'. She warned there is 'still a wide treatment gap between demand and capacity'. 'The increased prevalence of self-harm is also very concerning and indicates the importance of being able to use data across services at a population level to be able to target services earlier, for example at young people who have experience of the care system,' Ms Gray said.
Leader Live
26-06-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
‘Deeply worrying' rise in mental health conditions in England, figures show
There has also been a particular rise in mental health problems among women, while the proportion of people reporting ever having self-harmed has quadrupled since the year 2000, figures show. Health leaders said the findings 'paint a deeply worrying but sadly unsurprising picture' amid warnings that the system is 'overwhelmed, underfunded and unequal'. It is the first time since 2016 that data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, which is carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), the University of Leicester, and City St George's, University of London, on behalf of NHS England, has been released. It found that more than one in five people aged 16 to 74 had reported so-called 'common mental health conditions', which include generalised anxiety disorder, depressive episodes, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic disorder. Problems were more common in young people, with more than a quarter of those aged 16 to 24 reporting having any of these conditions, up from 17.5% in 2007. There was a particular rise among people in this age group reporting OCD, which rose from 1.8% in 2014 to 5.7% in 2023/24. There was also a sharp increase in the number of women aged 16 to 24 reporting these mental health problems. Some 36.1% said they had any one of the conditions listed, up from 28.2% in 2014 and 22.2% in 2007. The hike among women was evident across all age groups. Outside those aged 16 to 24, the biggest rise was among women aged 35 to 44, which increased from 22.3% to 29.1%. Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said: 'The nation's mental health is deteriorating, and our current system is overwhelmed, underfunded, and unequal to the scale of the challenge. 'After the trauma of the pandemic, the relentless cost-of-living crisis, and persistent racial inequalities, it is no surprise that mental health has suffered, especially for the young. 'But it is unacceptable that services still aren't meeting people's needs.' Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of Sane, said: 'The most shocking and often overlooked fact is that people with serious mental illness continue to lose 15-20 years of their lives due to underfunded and under-resourced mental health services. 'The majority of people diagnosed with mental ill health either receive no treatment at all or the help they are given is mostly in the community and is patchy and inadequate. 'This report exposes the huge scale of need facing a system that is already in breakdown, particularly involving the services available to young people.' Elsewhere, there was a rise in the number of people who reported ever having self-harmed, as well as an increase in those who experienced suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide in the 12 months leading up to the survey. The survey found: – Some 10.3% of adults reported ever having self-harmed, more than four times the 2.4% reported in the year 2000 and up from 3.8% in 2007 and 6.4% in 2014. – The proportion of those reporting self-harm was highest among 16 to 25-year-olds (24.6%), with more than one in three (31.7%) women in this age group saying they had self-harmed. – The number of adults who told the survey they had experienced suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months increased from 3.8% in 2000 to 6.7% in 2023/24. These thoughts were highest among 25 to 34-year-olds (32.9%). – The proportion of adults who reported attempting suicide also doubled from 0.5% in 2000 to 1% in the latest survey. – Elsewhere, the data suggests unemployed people and those in debt were more likely to have a common mental health condition or report non-suicidal self-harm. – Prevalence of these conditions, as well as suicide attempts, were also common among people living in the most deprived fifth of areas in England. – However, the survey found the number of 16 to 74-year-olds with common mental health conditions who reported having treatment rose from 39.4% in 2014 to 47.7% in 2023/24. Dr Hughes added: 'We are seeing some benefits of investment – more people are accessing support, and that's progress. 'However, waiting lists remain long, and care is patchy, and many are left to struggle alone while they wait for support.' Rebecca Gray, mental health director at the NHS Confederation, said the figures 'paint a deeply worrying but sadly unsurprising picture'. She warned there is 'still a wide treatment gap between demand and capacity'. 'The increased prevalence of self-harm is also very concerning and indicates the importance of being able to use data across services at a population level to be able to target services earlier, for example at young people who have experience of the care system,' Ms Gray said.
