Dr Rajesh Mohan, Presidential Lead for Race and Equality at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The Race and Health Observatory’s findings are damning. It’s clear that the government and the NHS must do more if it’s to stop the healthcare system from failing ethnic minority people.
“It cannot be right that the colour of someone’s skin significantly shapes their access to mental health treatment, their experience of treatment and the outcome of their treatment.
“It’s time for warm words to end and for the government to act. They must strengthen the Health and Care Bill currently being debated in Parliament to ensure data and monitoring systems are in place that enable the NHS to identify and address discrepancies in access, experience and outcomes for all minority groups.
“But the responsibility to change doesn’t stop with government. Despite recent NHS initiatives problems are deeply embedded, and healthcare leaders must do everything they can to ensure patients from ethnic minority backgrounds get the care they need. This requires a systematic shift in culture and practice, including designing and commissioning services collaboratively with people from ethnic minority backgrounds.”
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