The UK Inquiry into Mental Health and Well-Being in Later Life

> Aims

The Inquiry was set up in late 2003 by Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundation.  It aims to:

• Raise awareness of mental health and well-being in later life

• Involve and empower older people

• Create better understanding and build an evidence base

• Influence policy and planning

• Improve services

• Stimulate ongoing work by others

> Structure

The Inquiry is working in two stages:

• Stage 1 looked at the promotion of good mental health and well-being in later life.

• Stage 2 is looking at services and support for older people with mental health problems and their carers. 

> Activities

In each stage, the Inquiry:

• Starts out with a literature and policy review to find out what is already known.  This helps us to identify gaps in the evidence base. 
Click here to download the reviews. 

• We then gather evidence from older people, carers, organisations and professionals through a variety of means.  These include questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, consultation events, commissioned research and desk-based research.  We are interested in published and unpublished reports, personal stories, examples of good practice and any other information that can help us to better understand people's personal and professional experiences of the issues.  
Click here to download reports of evidence gathered.

• We hold regular meetings to review the evidence we have gathered, discuss and debate issues and develop recommendations. 

Click here to read minutes of meetings. 

• We work closely with others all throughout the process.

• At the end of each stage, we publish a report of findings and recommendations, and develop plans for how the work will be taken forward. 
Click here to download reports.

> For more details about each stage, please click on the links below:

Stage 1: Promotion

Stage 2: Services and support