Rethink Mental Illness

Rethink Mental Illness Is a British charity that seeks to improve the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through their networks of local groups and services, information and campaigns. Its stated goal is to make sure everyone severely affected by mental illness has a good quality of life. The organisation was founded in 1972 by John Pringle whose son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The operating name of 'Rethink' was adopted in 2002, and expanded to 'Rethink' Mental Illness' (to be more self explanatory) in 2011, but the charity remains registered as the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, although it no longer focuses only on schizophrenia. Rethink Mental Illness now has over 8,300 members, who receive a regular magazine called Your Voice. The charity states that it helps 48,000 people every year, and is for caregivers as well as those with a mental disorders. It provides services (mainly community support, including supported housing projects), support groups, and information through a helpline and publications. The Rethink Mental Illness website receives almost 300,000 visitors every year. Rethink Mental Illness carries out some survey research which informs both their own and national mental health policy, and it actively campaigns against stigma and for change through greater awareness and understanding. It is a member organisation of EUFAMI, the European Federation of Families of People with Mental Illness.

John Pringle published an anonymous article in The Times on 9 May 1970, describing the ways that his son's schizophrenia diagnosis had affected his family, and what his experience caring for his son was like. This article and the support it gathered was the starting point for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, which was founded by Pringle in 1972. In its early days, the National Schizophrenia Fellowship acted as a support group and charity for individuals caring for loved ones diagnosed with schizophrenia. The organization was more robust than previous charities and support organizations, because of its emphasis on helping its constituents understand more about mental health, seek out community for people affected by schizophrenia, and look after their own mental health while caring for loved ones affected by mental illness. The National Schizophrenia Fellowship was instrumental in promoting the new early psychosis paradigm in 1995 when it linked with an early psychosis network in the West Midlands, called IRIS (Initiative to reduce impact of schizophrenia). This then led to the Early Psychosis Declaration by the World Health Organization and the subsequent formation of early psychosis services as part of mainstream health policy. In 2002, the organization rebranded itself as Rethink to reflect its expanded focus on mental health, before later rebranding to Rethink Mental Illness in 2011. This was part of Rethink's first anti stigma regional campaign. The statue was intended to show how people in today's society are stigmatised by mental illness, based on claims that Churchill suffered from depression and perhaps bipolar disorder. However, the statue was condemned by Churchill's family, and described by Sir Patrick Cormack as an insult both to the former prime minister and to people with mental health problems. Although straitjackets have not been used in UK psychiatric hospitals for decades, a sufferer from bipolar disorder identified with "the straitjacket of mental illness" and commended the image. Nevertheless, in response to the complaints, the statue was removed. Mark Winstanley succeeded Paul Jenkins as chief executive of Rethink Mental Illness in March 2014. The charity's former staff include Judy Weleminsky, who was chief executive of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship from 1985 to 1990.

Rethink Mental Illness works with partner charities Support in Mind Scotland, MindWise (in Northern Ireland) and Adferiad Recovery (in Wales) as Mental Health UK, a charity registered in 2016, which "brings together the heritage and experience of four charities from across the country who have been supporting people with their mental health for nearly 50 years".

Rethink Mental Illness sets out annually its financial situation in its trustees' annual report. The trustees have reported as follows:
Year Total income (£ million)202237.5202133.1202031.72019 32.7201832.2 2017 33.7 2015 39.0 2013 50.9

Rethink Mental Illness has an annual income of approximately £37.5 million, according to its Directors, Trustees and Consolidated Financial Statements report for the year ended 31 March 2022. The vast majority of this income comes from contracts to provide a wide range of mental health services commissioned by statutory sources including local governmental health and social care bodies. Currently around £1.5 million of its income derives from individual donations, membership and corporate relationships. Rethink Mental Illness notes it protects its independent voice by making clear with funders that no donation can challenge its independence in any way, and its corporate partners sign up to a written agreement stating this position. The organisation accepts funding from pharmaceutical companies on the basis that, as with its other funders, these gifts can support its work without compromising it. It states that its discussions with pharmaceutical companies about medication and treatments will always be unrelated to any funds received from them, and that it does not endorse particular drugs or treatments. Recent contributions from pharmaceutical companies account for less than 0.1% of the charity’s overall funding.