The government is today launching a root-and-branch overhaul of mental health services for ethnic minorities, after repeated criticism of standards in care and a series of high-profile scandals.
Under the plans, at least 80 community mental health projects are to be established across England. From these, a new force of 500 paid staff will be recruited to work with black and Asian people.
The overhaul, the most radical attempt to address problems of inequality in the mental health services, follows publicity about the compulsory detention and treatment of the former boxer Frank Bruno.
The plans have, however, been rushed out for consultation ahead of two inquiries into deaths of black and Asian people with mental health problems. Both reports are expected to be severely critical of services.
The first report, next Friday, will investigate the case of Daksha Emson, an NHS psychiatrist in east London who had a history of mental illness, who killed her baby before committing suicide three years ago. This will be followed by a report into the death in 1998 of David "Rocky" Bennett, who was being treated at a secure unit in Norwich. Bennett died after being restrained by staff and an inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death aggravated by neglect.
Black people make up 30% of patients in medium secure services. Surveys suggest they are more than six times more likely than white people to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
Within the mental health system, black people are more likely to be given medication and less likely to receive so-called "talking" therapies. Women born in India and east Africa, such as Dr Emson, have a 40% higher suicide rate than those born in England and Wales.
The government plans have been drawn up by Kamlesh Patel, who heads the Mental Health Act Commission and is the director of the centre for ethnicity and health at the University of Central Lancashire.
Nine black or Asian regional leaders would be appointed to lead the reform programme. They would oversee development of the community projects on a model pioneered successfully in a drive against drugs in the ethnic minority population.
Ministers are already committed to recruiting the 500 workers, who will be in their posts by 2006. Rosie Winterton, the minister responsible for mental health, is launching the consultation plans in Bradford. "Delivering race equality and better community relations is vital to this government," she said.
Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, said: "There is an abundance of evidence to show that inequalities exist among ethnic minority communities both in service delivery and provision.
"Action is needed to ensure that services are accessible, adequate and appropriate to the needs of all the users and reflect their diverse needs."
