Mental health groups have ‘failed to acknowledge’ risk of violence, says Mind chief

Mental health organisations have “failed to acknowledge” the risk of violence from a minority of people with severe mental illnesses, the chief executive of Mind has said.

Dr Sarah Hughes, who has led the mental health charity for four years and worked in the sector for almost four decades, said charities had avoided addressing the issue because they feared it would increase stigma and harassment against people with mental health conditions.

Her warning came ahead of the closure of the inquiry into the Nottingham attacks. Hughes said the sector’s reluctance to discuss violence had left an important risk insufficiently acknowledged.

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failed to acknowledge