3 November 2025
What does the NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework mean for mental health services?
Andy describes the mixed picture for mental health services in the NHS Planning Framework priorities.
16 October 2025
Turning around the public’s declining mental health
Andy explores the social and economic factors behind the decline in the nation’s mental health, and the action needed to turn it around.
10 October 2025
Climate change is a mental health issue
It’s not just the ice caps that are melting – our mental resilience is also under pressure. Dr Angela Smith explores the impact of the climate crisis on our mental health.
25 September 2025
Why we need national leadership for the public’s mental health
Jude Stansfield, Claire Robson and Ian Walker reflect on the current state of public mental health activity in England, and what could be done to get it back on track.
17 September 2025
Ireland’s community engine for mentally healthier places
Lisa McNally looks to Ireland for inspiration on practical community power in mental health, and how lessons learned there could help local councils in England.
12 September 2025
Demanding better: The case for investment in the mental health of domestic abuse survivors
Heidi Riedel writes for the Mentally Healthier Councils Network on the urgent need for strategic investment in mental health support services for survivors of domestic abuse.
1 September 2025
We need to talk about wealth inequality and mental health
Will Snell and Anita Sangha from the Fairness Foundation, and Andy Bell, explore the intersections between inequalities in wealth, mental health and power.
27 August 2025
Fitness, mental health and me: breaking down the barriers to exercise with a severe mental illness
Hannah Moore writes about the challenges she has faced in accessing exercise and fitness opportunities
18 August 2025
Mental health in all policies: time for a mental health policy test
Laura Shields-Zeeman from the Trimbos Institute, the Netherlands, and Andy Bell consider the benefits of a mental health policy test, and what this could look like in practice.
5 August 2025
The new peer workforce in mental health services: Optimising implementation and maximising value
Five people involved in planning, delivering or researching mental health peer support provide personal reflections on their experiences, key challenges and lessons learnt.
31 July 2025
Black maternal mental health – interconnected issues at the heart
Caroline Bazambanza reflects on the work of The Motherhod Group, and the need to build spaces for safety, cultural affirmation, and community healing.
24 July 2025
Does loneliness really cause us to die earlier?
Lisa McNally explores the links between loneliness and poor health and asks: does loneliness cause poor health (and an earlier death) – or does poor health cause loneliness?