Mental illness and its treatment today

Dr David Bell | December 4, 2013 | Analyses


This analysis looks at the state of care for people with mental health problems today. It argues that the changes in the structure and scale of health services and benefits available to them has made treatment and recovery more difficult and that a changed cultural context has weakened society’s sense of obligation towards people with mental health problems.

Mental illness and its treatment today

Support Our Work

CHPI is the only truly independent health think-tank dedicated to the founding principles of the NHS. To continue our work keeping the public interest at the centre of health and social care policy, we need your help.

Please support CHPI so we can continue to impact the health policy debate.

About the author

Avatar photo

Dr David Bell

Dr. David Bell is a consultant psychiatrist at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London where he is the Director of the Fitzjohns Unit (a unique specialist psychotherapy service for the more complex and difficult psychiatric problems). He is a past President of the British Psychoanalytic Society, and a recent Professorial Fellow at Birkbeck College, University of London. He has a substantial international reputation and has lectured in various psychoanalytic institutes in Europe and the USA. See all posts by Dr David Bell