Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) ethnic inequalities policy review

We have been commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory to carry out this review and develop a set of recommendations for how IAPT services can reduce inequalities for people from minoritised ethnic communities.

The broad aims are to identify:

• where and why inequalities exist, in IAPT referrals and outcomes
• how people from black and minoritised ethnic communities experience IAPT pathways, and how experiences vary by ethnicity
• how the NHS might better embed the IAPT Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Service User Positive Practice Guide.

To do this we reviewed the research and data, and held focus groups with IAPT therapists and IAPT service users, and conducted surveys of IAPT service leads and commissioners.