Scandal of 'racist' health services

By Louise Nousratpour in Liverpool
Sunday April 25, 2010
The Morning Star

TUC black workers conference: Delegates to the TUC black workers conference branded Britain's mental health services "profoundly racist" on Saturday and demanded action to address this injustice.

Racism not only contributes to mental ill health among black and ethnic minorities (BME) but also heavily influences decisions about treatment and diagnosis, conference heard.

Opening the debate on mental health, Usdaw delegate Maureen Williams said: "Racial stereotyping still holds sway.

"Black people with mental health problems are far more likely than white people to be misdiagnosed, restrained, sectioned and given drugs rather than counselling."

She warned conference that the overrepresentation of black people on locked wards, often in overcrowded and squalid conditions, had led to a crisis that must be addressed.

BME people are 18 times more likely to end up in a mental institution than the national average. African Caribbeans are 44 per cent more likely to be sectioned and 29 per cent more likely to be forcibly restrained than white patients.

Unison delegate Sam Singh said: "The service is profoundly racist and research shows that employers are doing little to accommodate workers with mental health problems."

Speaking on behalf of the TUC race relations committee, Elena Smith warned that the recession had led to a sharp increase in mental health illnesses among workers, particularly those of BME background.

She argued for a more "holistic" approach to the illness, noting that too many BME people ended up on drugs treatment than effective alternatives such as psychotherapy.

Campaigners have criticised the government's New Horizon strategy for mental health as "out of touch" because it fails to recognise institutional racism or address lack of resources and workplace support.

Ms Williams, who also sits on the TUC race relations committee, stressed that unions had a "key role" to play in supporting and representing black workers with mental health issues.

"Union reps need to be equipped to deal with this and to understand the effects racism has on access to treatment," she added.

During a panel debate, Afiya Trust charity chief executive Patrick Vernon slammed the wholesale closure of community-based mental health services across the country.

Addressing delegates, he said: "You must encourage community workers to join trade unions so they can fight for their rights and protect the service against cuts."