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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Mental health 'apartheid' warning | Mental health 'apartheid' warning |
| (1 day later) | |
| A senior monitor of mental health patients' interests has warned of "a kind of apartheid" in the system. | A senior monitor of mental health patients' interests has warned of "a kind of apartheid" in the system. |
| Lord Patel of Bradford, chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission, told the BBC that institutional racism in the service needed to be addressed. | Lord Patel of Bradford, chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission, told the BBC that institutional racism in the service needed to be addressed. |
| He said it could be one reason why some black groups were 18 times more likely to be in psychiatric care. | He said it could be one reason why some black groups were 18 times more likely to be in psychiatric care. |
| But the government said improving black people's confidence in mental health services was "a top priority". | But the government said improving black people's confidence in mental health services was "a top priority". |
| Segregation | Segregation |
| Lord Patel said it had to be established why there was an over-representation of black people in psychiatric care. | Lord Patel said it had to be established why there was an over-representation of black people in psychiatric care. |
| Otherwise, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We're going to have a situation where we'll have segregation. | Otherwise, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We're going to have a situation where we'll have segregation. |
| "We'll have those that live on the margins of society, feeling more hopelessness than they do now. | "We'll have those that live on the margins of society, feeling more hopelessness than they do now. |
| "A kind of apartheid will happen in the next 10 to 20 years. It's going to get worse. We have to deal with it very strongly." | "A kind of apartheid will happen in the next 10 to 20 years. It's going to get worse. We have to deal with it very strongly." |
| Professor Louis Appleby, the government's National Director of Mental Health, said: "We are working hard to win the trust and confidence of BME (black minority ethnic) communities, and community engagement is a key part of our action plan. | Professor Louis Appleby, the government's National Director of Mental Health, said: "We are working hard to win the trust and confidence of BME (black minority ethnic) communities, and community engagement is a key part of our action plan. |
| "This is key to better understanding the wider social factors that result in some communities experiencing a higher rate of mental illness. | "This is key to better understanding the wider social factors that result in some communities experiencing a higher rate of mental illness. |
| "Our drive to improve care will remain a top priority until BME patients report better experiences of mental health services ." | "Our drive to improve care will remain a top priority until BME patients report better experiences of mental health services ." |
| Experts estimate black people are three to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic and less likely to be diagnosed with depression. | Experts estimate black people are three to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic and less likely to be diagnosed with depression. |
| They are also more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and to be given medication, rather than "talking" therapies. | They are also more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and to be given medication, rather than "talking" therapies. |
| David Rocky Bennett, a black mental health patient, died in 1998 after being restrained at a Norfolk clinic. | David Rocky Bennett, a black mental health patient, died in 1998 after being restrained at a Norfolk clinic. |
| An inquiry into the incident concluded that institutional racism was "a festering abscess, a blot on the good name of the NHS". | An inquiry into the incident concluded that institutional racism was "a festering abscess, a blot on the good name of the NHS". |
| Following this, the government pledged to "eradicate discrimination" in NHS mental health care. | Following this, the government pledged to "eradicate discrimination" in NHS mental health care. |
Have | |
| Have you had personal experience of the mental health services? | |
| Your comments: | |
| In October 2006 I made a serious suicide attempt when I took over 100 paracetemol. I spent six days in hospital on a general ward. In the months since, I have only had one 30 minute appointment with a psychiatrist. I get the feeling that the NHS wishes I had been successful, as treating me would be more expensive than burying me.Tim, Slough, Berks | In October 2006 I made a serious suicide attempt when I took over 100 paracetemol. I spent six days in hospital on a general ward. In the months since, I have only had one 30 minute appointment with a psychiatrist. I get the feeling that the NHS wishes I had been successful, as treating me would be more expensive than burying me.Tim, Slough, Berks |
| I was in a mental institution in 1995 along with a black patient. He was having problems because he was kept inside for six months. He said he needed a lawyer because they wouldn't let him out. His girlfriend was coming every day to see him and he was to my belief well enough to be discharged from hospital. | I was in a mental institution in 1995 along with a black patient. He was having problems because he was kept inside for six months. He said he needed a lawyer because they wouldn't let him out. His girlfriend was coming every day to see him and he was to my belief well enough to be discharged from hospital. |
| It was a horrible. Not only are black people mistreated, but the whole system is a disappointment for white people too. There is more going on in wards than most people think. It's a terrible system for everyone, not just black patients. Sarah, London | It was a horrible. Not only are black people mistreated, but the whole system is a disappointment for white people too. There is more going on in wards than most people think. It's a terrible system for everyone, not just black patients. Sarah, London |
| I have worked for many years in mental health services. In my experience patients often refer to racism when there is conflict; however mental illness often creates distorted perceptions of events. In my experience, patients of all backgrounds are treated on a person to person basis. If a patient behaves in a challenging way, it is their behaviour which is responded to not their ethnic background.Gordon, London | I have worked for many years in mental health services. In my experience patients often refer to racism when there is conflict; however mental illness often creates distorted perceptions of events. In my experience, patients of all backgrounds are treated on a person to person basis. If a patient behaves in a challenging way, it is their behaviour which is responded to not their ethnic background.Gordon, London |
| It took a long while and litigation against a North London Trust before I realised that instead of being diagnosed with a complex version of PTSD, I was very subtly being labelled as personality disordered. I was able to challenge the diagnosis and the racist theories behind it because I am legally trained. I am now working to bring this behaviour to the attention of the General Medical Council and the authorities mentioned in your article.Anonymous, London | It took a long while and litigation against a North London Trust before I realised that instead of being diagnosed with a complex version of PTSD, I was very subtly being labelled as personality disordered. I was able to challenge the diagnosis and the racist theories behind it because I am legally trained. I am now working to bring this behaviour to the attention of the General Medical Council and the authorities mentioned in your article.Anonymous, London |
| Mental health services are culturally white Anglo-Saxon institutions. Any individual from a culture which contains more emotional self-expression and non-monotheistic religious beliefs is more likely to be diagnosed as abnormal due to this cultural ignorance. So when the government pledges to 'eradicate discrimination' they are doing the wrong thing - they need to treat black ethnic minorities with different cultures differently from Anglo-Saxons! The racism lies in treating everyone the same.Alex Berkman, Edinburgh | Mental health services are culturally white Anglo-Saxon institutions. Any individual from a culture which contains more emotional self-expression and non-monotheistic religious beliefs is more likely to be diagnosed as abnormal due to this cultural ignorance. So when the government pledges to 'eradicate discrimination' they are doing the wrong thing - they need to treat black ethnic minorities with different cultures differently from Anglo-Saxons! The racism lies in treating everyone the same.Alex Berkman, Edinburgh |