Tuning in to race equality in mental health
| Pages | 103-107 |
| Date | 25 May 2012 |
| Published date | 25 May 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301211232531 |
| Author | Edward Davie |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Tuning in to race equality in mental health
Edward Davie
Abstract
Purpose – The aim is to examine the current state of black and minority ethnic (BME) service user
involvement in mental health policy making and commissioning of services, identifying barriers to
participation, and potential strategies to enhance BME involvement and ensure more culturally sensitive
services.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an overview of the Dancing To Our Own Tunes
report and more recent review which assess progress towards achieving improved BME mental health
service user involvement.
Findings – There are a number of barriers affecting the relationships between statutory bodies and user
involvement initiatives. These include a lack of BME representation on groups that influence mental
health policy and commissioning, along with spending cuts that disproportionately impact on BME
mental health service users.
Research limitations/implications – The original report was based upon a consultation with a
relatively small number of participants.
Practical implications – Increasing the involvement of diverse service users in policy making and in the
design and delivery of mental health services will lead to better quality, more effective and efficient
services.
Originality/value – The area of BME service user involvement in the design and delivery of mental
health services has hitherto received little attention in the literature.
Keywords Mental health, Service users, Black and minority ethnic, Racial equality, User involvement,
National Service Users Network, Afiyah Trust, Ethnic groups, Social policy
Paper type Viewpoint
Mental health stigma and racial prejudice are two of the biggest barriers to social inclusion
and for many black and minority ethnic (BME) people with a mental health diagnosis the
combination can be worse than the sum of its parts. The Count Me In (CQC, 2008) census of
mental health service users found that 25 per cent of service users in England were from an
ethnic minority as compared to about 10 per cent of the general population. This over-
representation within mental health services is magnified at the ‘‘heavy end’’ of the system,
with far higher numbers of some BME groups being admitted as inpatients, detained, kept in
seclusion, and dying whilst in the system, as compared to their white counterparts.
It was with this over-representation in mind that Dr Jaysaree Kalathil was commissioned by
the National Service User Network (NSUN) and the Afiya Trust to undertake a consultation to
examine the barriers that mental health service users from BME backgrounds face in
participating meaningfully in mental health user involvement initiatives, as well as identify
possible solutions. The consultation process involved 15 individuals working in a range of
settings to improve mental health services – bringing together a wide range of experience
and skills. The experiences of these individuals in being involved in both service and
policy-driven initiatives, as well as in generic user-led groups were examined.
DOI 10.1108/20428301211232531 VOL. 16 NO. 2 2012, pp. 103-107, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAGE 103
Edward Davie is
Communications and
Engagement Officer at
National Survivor User
Network, London, UK.
For moreinformation on the
DTOOTs report, please cont act
theauthorDr Jaysaree Kalathilat:
jayasree@survivor-research.com
For more information on the
work of NSUN please contact
Edward Davie at: Edward.
davie@nsun.org.uk
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