Every commissioner should address ethnic inequalities in mental health says panel of experts

Psychological therapists and occupational therapists were not included in this qualitative study of 27 mental health staff, which is a shame.

Anyone can suffer from mental illness, but current mental health services may not be appropriate for the whole population. People from black and minority ethnic groups may have different requirements, and this guide aims to help commissioners reduce inequalities by procuring good health care for all. This guidance has been produced by the Joint Commissioning [read the full story…]

Black patients’ first contact with mental health services is more likely to be coercive

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It is well documented that there are differences in how patients are treated, depending on their ethnicity. Previous inquiries in the UK have suggested that the NHS is institutionally racist (Blofeld et al, 2003). Some groups, for example those from African Caribbean or Aboriginal descent, experience more coercive care and poor outcomes, including higher doses of [read the full story…]

“Healthcare commissioning has the potential to tackle inequalities” according to briefing

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Introduction This briefing has been prepared for clinical commissioners, commissioning managers, and everyone who works with multi-ethnic populations. It combines the findings from the Sheffield Hallam University project “Evidence and Ethnicity in Commissioning (EEiC) with other research, and practical experience. The aim of the Briefing is to demonstrate how health organisations can improve commissioning for [read the full story…]