No improvement for black people

The experience of black people in the mental health system has seen almost no improvement during the past year, according to a leaked report.

The 2006 national census of inpatients in England and Wales found rates of admission for black groups were still about three times higher than average.

Black groups also had higher rates of referral from the criminal justice system and higher than average rates of detention, the study by four government-funded bodies, including the Mental Health Act Commission, found.

It said the results were similar to those that were observed in the 2005 census.