Campaign urges better care in the community

THE mental health charity, Mind, yesterday stepped up pressure on the Government to review care in the community with a campaign demanding improvements, writes Ian Mackinnon.

Jayne Zito - whose husband Jonathan was killed by a diagnosed schizophrenic - took a 30,000-signature petition to Downing Street to help launch the Breakthrough campaign. In response to that and other tragedies, the Government introduced a register for those considered at risk. But Mind has attacked the measure as 'inadequate'.

The charity wants a framework of resourced services including 24-hour access to mental health teams for those in distress, home support and the provision of secure units.