MENTAL HEALTH PROVISION FOR BLACK AND ETHNIC MINORITY PATIENTS

Early day motion 1259, tabled 16 April 2007 by Diane Abbott (Labour). Signed by 34 members.

That this House notes with concern the comments made by the Chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission, Lord Patel of Bradford, regarding the over-representation of black people in psychiatric care; remembers that warnings of institutional racism within mental health care were made after the death in care of David Rocky Bennett in 1998; recognises that black people are estimated to be up to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic, and more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and given medication rather than other therapies; notes that these problems are only likely to worsen given the rise in asylum-seeking and refugee populations since then; notes that little has been done to tackle the potential for racism and abuse within the mental health system, as is highlighted in reports published by the Ethnicity and Health Unit at the University of Lancashire; and thus calls upon the Government to take serious and concrete steps towards greatly improving the provision of mental health services for black and ethnic minority communities, including taking note of the suggestions made by the Ethnicity and Health Unit.

Signatures by party: Labour 21, Liberal Democrat 9, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, Respect 1.