Frank Bruno

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the media's coverage of the story involving the health of Frank Bruno.

Dr Evan Harris, the party's health spokesman said: "People with mental health problems should be treated with sympathy and withRespect.

"Some of the headlines around Mr Bruno and the language used are unacceptable. Part of the problem in tackling mental illness is the stigma surrounding media intrusion and the name calling which deters people from seeking help."

Shadow Health Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said: "This sad news highlights a number of serious shortcomings in attitudes towards the treatment of those suffering from mental illness. Above all, we wish Frank Bruno a speedy recovery.

"The stigmatising of mental illness often seen in media coverage is bound to discourage those those who need treatment from coming forward to get it. By contrast, virtually no coverage is given to the fact that up to two thousand schizophrenics a year commit suicide. If Frank Bruno had been admitted to a coronary care or stroke unit, this would have attracted far less media coverage.

"Mental health services remain the Cinderella sector within the NHS. Under-funding and the frequent failure of allocated resources to reach frontline services are more and more common.

"If nothing else comes from Frank Bruno's misfortune, perhaps as a society we will at last begin to recognise the importance of adopting a mature, sensitive and understanding approach to the issues which it raises. This is the very least that should be expected of a civilised society."

Forum Response: SANE

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of SANE, said: "We are delighted that following our dismay and that of many members of the public, The Sun changed their original headline and have given us the opportunity to bring into the open the profound issues surrounding mental breakdown.

"We hope that the thousands whose distress is often ignored and stigmatised will now find more acceptance and feel more able to seek help."

Forum Response: Depression Alliance

Jim Thomson, chief executive of Depression Alliance, told ePolitix.com: "The way in which the media has reported Frank Bruno's depression and subsequent hospitalisation has provoked some interesting debate. Not only has the deep-rooted stigma attached to the illness in this country been highlighted, but also and perhaps more surprisingly, we have seen a growing public reaction of outrage to his treatment at the hands of the media.

"People affected by depression have to contend with a very serious illness that can persist for many months and in some cases years. The stigma attached to the condition can last a lot longer. It is easy to single the media out for criticism but is also worth bearing in mind that the ignorance and fear surrounding the condition permeates every level of society.

"Employers who don't understand depression treat ill workers as malingerers with many losing their jobs, never again to return to full-time employment.

"We have seen many cases where the DSS (now DWP) has cut off someone's Incapacity Benefit because they have participated in therapeutic activities like attending a self-help group or doing simple voluntary work.

"Apparently these sorts of activities mean that one is capable of work despite medical evidence to the contrary. It is, as one member put it, "like the State kicking a broken leg to see if it still hurt". Then we have the government's generally appalling record around mental health with the Draft Mental Health Bill 2002, the lost £75 million earmarked for mental health and the general lack of funding and services available for people affected by depression.

"However, some good has and will come out of the attention surrounding Frank Bruno. Perhaps now, the media will be aware of the need for sensitivity and intelligence when talking about depression and other mental illness.

"Perhaps the government will also take note when planning policy. Certainly, the general public will be more aware of depression, an illness that affects one in five of us at some point in our lives and which is set to become the second biggest health burden in the world by 2020.

"It's also particularly interesting to see certain elements of the media aligning themselves with voluntary sector organisations - although in some cases the links may seem tenuous.

"To continue the broken leg analogy, one would hardly seek to benefit those affected by leg injuries by making a knee-jerk (no pun intended) donation to a spinal injuries charity.

"That said and in the absence of serious funding from central government - any money finding its way to mental health is most welcome and we look forward to seeing it put to immediate good use for the benefit of people affected by depression."