Editorial

Abstract

Newspaper journalists have a term for the months of July and August. During the ‘silly season’, news items are often thin on the ground and everyday events can receive great prominence. But this summer those with an interest in mental health would not have scratched around for a potential news item. July’s release of the House of Commons health select committee‘s report on NHS mental health services was closely followed by the government’s NHS Plan, which makes highly challenging proposals for reforming mental health care in England (see page 2).