New report on schizophrenia care

Care for people diagnosed with schizophrenia in England is falling "catastrophically short" and requires a major overhaul, an independent inquiry has concluded.

The Schizophrenia Commission, set up by the charity Rethink Mental Illness a year ago, said patients spent too long on "demoralised and dysfunctional" hospital wards.

It says the condition costs society almost £12bn a year and money would be better spent on preventing illness.

The commission also says too much is spent on secure care - 19 per cent of the mental health budget in England last year - with many people staying too long in expensive units.

Among the 42 recommendations, the report calls for a better use of "recovery houses" in the community, to provide an alternative to hospital admission.

You can read the full report on the Schizophrenia Commission website.