National census of in-patients launched

Mental health services for people from ethnic minorities were
placed under the spotlight this week with the announcement of a
national census of in-patients and the launch of a new national
network to campaign for change.

The National Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Network, to be
hosted by the Afiya Trust, aims to tackle the inequalities and the
over-representation of black people in the mental health
system.

Afiya Trust director Peter Scott Blackman said the network hoped to
work with the government and mental health institutions “to enable
a change in direction”.

The census, announced by the Mental Health Act Commission, will
cover every mental health in-patient in the country on 31 March
next year to establish the ratio of white patients to those from
ethnic minorities.

How ethnicity is recorded will also be checked, and black patients
will be surveyed about their care.