A member of the David Bennett Inquiry panel has urged the families of people from ethnic minorities with mental health problems to complain about poor treatment to the Commission for Racial Equality.

Dr Richard Stone, who sat on the panel that looked into Bennett's death in 1998 at the Norvic Centre in Norwich, said: " When you visit [the place of detention] you should be watching for inappropriate behaviour and use the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 if you need to, and report it to the Commission for Racial Equality."

Bennett died after he was restrained face down for 25 minutes. The report into his death recommended that nobody should be restrained for longer than three minutes but the government has so far failed to act on the recommendation.

Health minister Rosie Winterton issued guidance last week to help people in primary care trusts deliver better mental health services for people from ethnic minorities. 

Celebrating Cultures from www.nimhe.org.uk