The latest national statistics on Attitudes to Mental Illness prepared for the National Mental Health Development Unit's Shift programme and produced by the Department of Health were released on 30 March 2010 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
Since March 1994, the Department of Health has placed a set of questions on TNS's Face-to-Face Consumer Omnibus about public attitudes towards mental illness. From 1994 to 1997 the questions were asked on an annual basis and then every third year up until 2003.
Since 2007 the survey has again been carried out annually. The surveys serve as a benchmark, enabling measurement of whether attitudes are improving or worsening over time. The questionnaire included a number of statements about mental illness. Respondents were asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement.