14 December 2007
Black and ethnic minority patients continue to be over-represented on mental health wards, health inspectors said last week.
The Healthcare Commission's annual census of mental health in-patients revealed that some black and ethnic minority groups are three or more times more likely than average to be admitted to psychiatric wards.
Healthcare Commission chief executive Anna Walker said she would like a dialogue with organisations that have high numbers of black and ethnic minority patients.
'With their knowledge, we can begin to look at the problems within the communities and bring together local agencies to tackle the issues that cause some black and minority ethnic groups to have higher rates of mental illness.
'We need to be looking at prevention and better access to services in the community, not just admission to hospital when people become seriously ill.'
The Count me in census is a joint initiative between the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the National Institute for Mental Health in England. It forms one of the strands of the government's plan to bring about race equality in mental health care.
Steve Shrubb, director of the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network, said tackling race inequality in mental health was one of the biggest challenges facing service providers.
'We accept that the solution lies with collecting more accurate and meaningful information, which can then be used to set up appropriate services,' he said.
'Getting this right, however, requires the input of all agencies – from GPs to the courts – so that we can deliver what we know is best practice of identifying problems early and then providing the most appropriate support.'
A separate National Audit Office report published on December 7 found that specialist community mental health services were being limited by a lack of resources.
Crisis Resolution Home Treatment teams, which help people through short-term mental health crises with intensive support outside hospital, were found to be reducing pressure on in-patient beds and boosting patient satisfaction.
But NAO head Sir John Bourn said: 'A lack of resources and a lack of multi-disciplinary support are limiting what these teams can do. And not all of those who would benefit from this service are being considered for it.'
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