Diverse Minds background

In 1993 Mind published a policy on Black and Minority Ethnic mental health which highlighted major concerns about the impact of racism on people's lives, on their mental health and on the services they receive. The policy showed that:

• the diverse needs of people from different cultural, religious and ethnic communities are often not met in mental health services
• Black people are more likely than White people to be picked up under section 136 of the Mental Health Act by the police, compulsorily detained in hospital, diagnosed with schizophrenia and given high doses of medication
• primary care and community care services are often under-used by people from Black and minority ethnic communities.

The policy also highlighted the way people's experiences of mental health services may differ according to their ethnicity, gender and social class. Depression and suicide rates are high among Asian women, for example, yet services are often not appropriate to their needs - they may be placed in mixed sex psychiatric wards, contrary to their religious and cultural beliefs.

Mind's policy on Black and minority ethnic mental health called for action, including better information, translation and interpreting services, training for mental health staff, less coercion into the psychiatric and criminal justice systems, and support for Black and minority ethnic organisations.

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