In 2011 Rethink Mental Illness set up an independent commission led by Professor Robin Murray, to look into how the needs of people diagnosed with schizophrenia are serviced in secondary care. They interviewed both experts in the field and people who have lived with this illness. Tere were 2500 respondents to an online survey. 

You can read the report in full here. 

Some 220.000 people in England are diagnosed with Schizophrenia. These people are cared by a system that the independent commission found was "broken and demoralised" and "does not deliver the quality of treatment that is needed for people to recover".

Some of the problems identified by the commission:

The commission also heard that "good care delivered by kind, compassionate practitioners can make all the difference.(...) Time and time again we heard of a transformation whereby an apparently downward course was reversed by a nurse, doctor, peer or therapist who tool the time to listen and understand."

Some facts about severe mental illness

Documentary maker Louis Theroux got an unique insight into the world of children medicated for conduct disorders. The film is available here.