Improving in-patient mental health services for Black and
minority ethnic patients
What is this project?
In February 2009, an independent expert panel
was held at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The panel was instigated by Professor Dinesh Bhugra (President
RCPsych), and chaired by Melba Wilson (National Director,
Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Programme/Health
Development Unit, England). 
The panel reviewed existing standards employed in the College
Centre for Quality Improvement's accreditation and quality
improvement networks which related to the care of Black and
minority ethnic in-patients.
The report
In November 2009, the subsequent report -
Improving
in-patient mental health services for Black and minority ethnic
patients - made recommendations for changes to these
existing standards in 11 separate areas.
Action taken by RCPsych
Two key actions have been taken:
- In 2010, core standards for use across all the
CCQI's accreditation and quality improvement networks have
taken into account key recommendations from the report;
- In 2011, a collaboration with Middlesex
University is aiming to ensure that all mental health service staff
who are participating in a CCQI network, will undertake a
self-assessment of their effectiveness when working with patients
from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds This
will be piloted in the first half of 2011, then implemented across
the CCQI later in 2011.
Why is it important?
There are 4.6 million people from Black and minority ethnic
groups in the UK.
Reported problems which members of these groups can face in
relation to in-patient mental health service provision include:
sociocultural difficulties (health beliefs and mistrust of
services), systemic problems (lack of culturally competent
practices in mental health services), economic issues, and
individual barriers (denial of mental health problems).
Research shows that BMEgroups are more likely than average to be
admitted to mental health hospitals. Some BME groups also
experience different pathways into acute care, and it is important
to avoid aggregating all ethnic groups together where possible.
Other information
The aims and objectives of the panel were developed in close
collaboration with the College Centre for Quality Improvement
(CCQI). Project managers were consulted, and Adrian Worrall and
Maureen McGeorge represented the CCQI on the panel.
Other panel members are listed in the main report.
This work was supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’
Policy Unit (Chris Fitch and Rowena Daw). Visit this website for more
information on the CCQI.
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