The Age of the Inquiry


Book Description

The plethora of inquiry reports published in the fields of health and welfare in the 1990s covered the full range of user groups, individuals and institutions. What similarities or differences were there between these inquiries? How effective were they in bringing about change? Whose interest did they best serve? These are some of the questions The Age of the Inquiry explores in detail, bringing together distinguished contributors with personal experience of chairing or providing evidence to inquiries to consider: the participant's view of inquiries the purpose of inquiries the impact of inquiries on health and social policy inquiries into: child abuse and death; homicides by mental health service users; the abuse of adults with learning disabilities; the abuse of older people. Wide-ranging in scope, The Age of the Inquiry focuses on service and policy development. It provides an invaluable text for students, teachers and professionals from a wide range of disciplines and professional groups.




Inside Ashworth


Book Description

High security institutions for mentally disordered offenders are far more complex than regular mental health hospitals or prisons. Ashworth Hospital is no exception. This book raises questions as to why Ashworth resisted the call for change and survived moves towards de-institutionalisation, enquiries, and threats of closure.




Therapeutic Relationships with Offenders


Book Description

Working in any area of mental health nursing presents complex issues regarding the nurse-patient relationship. For those working in prolonged clinical contact with offenders, relationships with patients and colleagues can be particularly emotionally intense and sometimes difficult to express. This book attempts to understand and articulate the emotional labour of forensic nursing and explores the challenge of establishing and maintaining therapeutic relationships with offenders. The first book to consider the emotional and relational component of forensic mental health nursing, the chapters cover a number of specialist forensic areas from this psychodynamic perspective, such as women's services, services for people with personality disorders, intensive care, high security psychiatric hospitals, medium secure units and services for adolescent offenders. A chapter on therapeutic communities is also included, along with chapters on challenging relational phenomena such as working with hate and the difficulties of managing difference when working in environments that produce high levels of anxiety. Therapeutic Relationships with Offenders provides essential information for mental health nurses working in the forensic field and will be of interest to any professionals working with challenging populations and people with personality disorders.




Law and the Spirit of Inquiry


Book Description

This rich and fascinating collection of essays, in honour of Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, reflects the high regard in which he is held throughout the world. In his Foreword to the book, Lord Woolf, the Master of the Rolls, emphasises the contribution which Sir Louis has made, `in so many capacities. Of course as an advocate and an eminent Queen's Counsel (both in England and Wales and Northern Ireland); he frequently appeared for those who are disadvantaged against the establishment ... Louis' commitment has been on an international scale and in many of the out-of-the-way parts of the world he has a near-hero status. Not many Queen's Counsel will, for example, have been prepared to make the near 6-week journey to St. Helena to defend a client ... His extraordinary range of writing should not be forgotten. Besides his numerous articles for legal journals, he was the author of many books ... His writing demonstrates not only his erudition but also the breadth of his interests. Alas, not many lawyers or judges share Sir Louis' concern about the literary quality of their writing ... As part of his contribution to justice, I include his Chairmanship of the Press Council ... One of the most difficult and sensitive areas in which to achieve justice arises where the freedom of media and the press come into conflict with the rights of the individual to have his privacy respected ... not only was Sir Louis a distinguished last Chairman of the Press Council, he was responsible for the issue of a Code of Practice which was in some ways the precursor of the Code of the New Press Complaints Commission.' `Louis has also been a great campaigner for law reform. He has many achievements to his credit but I suspect that the cause which was closest to his heart was penal reform. A number of extremely authoritative contributions to this Festschrift therefore focus on some of the areas of reform for which Sir Louis campaigned ... However, it is in connection with the Inquiries that he has conducted that Sir Louis has found the most important outlet for his abundant talents. His creativity, his powers of analysis, his understanding and ability to relate to the public have again and again been called on by the government of the day and other institutions, both in this country and abroad, when matters of great public concern have arisen.' All the distinguished contributors to this Festschrift have known and esteemed Sir Louis in one or more of his multifarious capacities. They and the editors dedicate this volume to this remarkable man with their admiration and warm affection.




Psychology, Discourse And Social Practice


Book Description

What damage does psychology do to people's lives, and what can we do about it? How do we recognise and support resistance? Written by expert practitioners-researchers, this co-authored book explores how psychology legislates on normality and then uses its "expert" knowledge to turn social marginalisation into pathology. Chapters address a range of cultural and institutional arenas in which inequalities structured around categories of gender, "race", class and sexuality are reproduced by psychological practices: from self-help books to special hospitals, from school exclusions to Gender Identity Clinics, from mothering magazines to mental health services. But far from just documenting the damage, this book identifies the ways in which both professionals and users of services can act to counter psychology's abuses. As practical intervention as well as theoretical critique, Psychology, Discourse and Social Practice offers tangible examples of how change can be effected. This book will be of interest to advanced undergraduates and postgraduates in psychology, health, education and welfare disciplines. It is also relevant to social workers and education and health professionals, as well as professional psychologists.




Key Concepts in Mental Health


Book Description

Electronic Inspection Copy available for instructors here "This book wins on two levels: not only is there an extensive range of concepts presented (including some that are unexpected yet clearly relevant), there is also a succinct, thorough and critical dissection of each. Recommended, if not essential, reading for all student mental health professionals." - Dr Steven Pryjmachuk, Head of Mental Health Division, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester Mental health is an area that new students and trainee practitioners often find bewildering. This book cuts through the stigma associated with this topic. It delivers bite-sized chunks of information that cover the central concepts and debates which shape contemporary views about mental health and illness. As this book shows, these key concepts not only influence our understanding of mental health, but also govern the provision of services for people with mental-health problems. Drawing together perspectives from sociology, psychiatry, psychology and ethics, the vital topics in mental health are examined in three parts: - PART ONE: Mental Health and Mental-Health Problems explores theories and understandings of mental health and illness - PART TWO: Mental Health Services looks at the structure and organization of mental health service delivery, past and present - PART THREE: Mental Health and Society studies the social context. This new edition adds 10 new concepts as well as updating the previous entries. New topics include childhood adversity, recovery, spirituality, well-being, social and cultural capital, quality of mental-health services, evidence-based practice, and work and mental health. This book will be invaluable for trainee health professionals, including clinical psychologists, social workers, nurses, counsellors and psychotherapists.




Forensic Mental Health


Book Description

This analysis of the forensic mental health system - how it operates, the people involved, the problems inherent in the system, and the huge ethical dilemmas - brings together a range of specialists, who describe the processes involved in dealing with a mentally disordered offender.




Handbook of Forensic Mental Health


Book Description

This is a comprehensive reference book on the subject of forensic mental health, looking at what forensic mental health is and its assessment, management and treatment. It focuses on key topics and the issues underpinning them in contemporary society. The book includes: an account of the historical development of forensic mental health, along with a description of the three mental health systems operating in the UK an in-depth analysis of the forensic mental health process and system, including an analysis of the different systems applied for juveniles and adults an examination of the main issues in forensic mental health including sex offending, personality disorders and addiction a breakdown of the key skills needed for forensic mental health practice. This is an authoritative reference book which will be a crucial text for practitioners, academics and students in the forensic mental health field.




Treatment Without Consent


Book Description

Phil Fennell's tightly argued study traces the history of treatment of mental disorder in Britain over the last 150 years. He focuses specifically on treatment of mental disorder without consent within psychiatric practice, and on the legal position which has allowed it. Treatment Without Consent examines many controversial areas: the use of high-strength drugs and Electro Convulsive Therapy, physical restraint and the vexed issue of the sterilisation of people with learning disabilities. Changing notions of consent are discussed, from the common perception that relatives are able to consent on behalf of the patient, to present-day statutory and common law rules, and recent Law Commission recommendations. This work brings a complex and intriguing area to life; it includes a table of legal sources and an extensive bibliography. It is essential reading for historians, lawyers and all those who are interested in the treatment of mental disorder.