National Service On Mental Health On Eve Of 10th Anniversary Of Death Of David Bennett, UK

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Mental Health
Article Date: 31 Oct 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Senior politicians and health experts have lent their support to a public national service on mental health, which falls the eve of the 10th anniversary of the death of David 'Rocky' Bennett.

Considered to be the Stephen Laurence of the mental health world, this historic landmark has again shifted the focus on to the inequalities in the treatment and care of black people using mental health services.

Hosted by the human rights campaigns group Black Mental Health UK this public event, which is open to the public will, organisers hope be the catalyst that leads to the full implementation of the recommendations made within the Bennett Inquiry report.

With findings from the 2007 Count Me In Census showing that detention rates of people from African Caribbean communities under the Mental Health Act are now at an all time high, questions have been raised in many quarters as to what, if any, improvements have been made in the experience ethnic minorities who use the of the services in the 10 years since Bennett's tragic death.

This evening's event, which is open to the public, will not only highlight the urgency for the need to address the growing stark disparities in the treatment of black patients, but also focus on strategies for change that will improve the treatment of one of society's most vulnerable and marginalised groups.

'Given the relative lack of progress in implementing the original inquiry recommendations and the seeming reluctance on the part of the government to tackle ethnic inequalities in mental health services I suggest that it is important that we call for a review of the progress since the inquiry. This should take the form of a public inquiry into the state of mental health services for BME communities, 10 years after David Bennett,' panel member on the Bennett Inquiry Prof Sashi Sashidaran, Bennett inquiry panel member said.

'The improvements that should have been made during this time are difficult to see. Unless we find ways to address the racism within the system then these inquiries as useless as people say that they are,' Dr Richard Stone, Bennett Inquiry panel member said.

'We also cannot afford to allow the recommendations made in the Bennett report to be sidelined when research clearly shows that that death rate of people detained under the Mental Health Act continued to increase', Matilda MacAttram director of Black Mental Health UK said.

'There is a struggle to change the psychiatric system, for black people and others who are disadvantaged in the system but we shouldn't give up. We should keep the impetus for getting changes in the mental health system and mental health law, there can be anti discrimination legislation introduced into a Mental Health Act, It's about not giving up on getting significant changes for the human rights of black patients in the mental health system, ' Prof Suman Fernando said.

'From the work we do in the community and on the wards people's experiences haven't changed. The people who use are services also tell us about what they have gone through so we know things improved,' Alicia Spence service director ACCI (African Caribbean Community Iniative) said.

Speakers for this event which runs from 6.00 - 9.00pm this evening include Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey, Pastor Ade Omooba, Alicia Spence, Rev Paul Grey, Prof. Suman Fernando, Bishop Wayne Malcolm, Dr Richard Stone, Prof Sashi Sahidharan, Helen Shaw, Pedro Okoro, Matilda MacAttram.
Music for the evening will be by John Fisher and the IDMC gospel choir.

Notes

- BMH UK's National Service on Mental Health, is open to the public and free to attend and will be held at the Emmanuel Centre , 9-23Marsham Street, from 6.00-9.00pm on Thursday 30th October.

- Sponsors for BMH UK's national service include, the Royal College of Psyciatry, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, South West London Mental Health Trust and The Stone Ashdown Trust.

- Black Mental Health UK is a human rights campaigns group established to address the over representation of African Caribbean's within secure psychiatric care and raise awareness to address the stigma associated with mental health.

- African Caribbean's are 50% more likely to enter the system via the criminal justice system or the police. 44% more likely to be sectioned, 29% more likely to be forcibly restrained, 50% more likely to be placed in seclusion and make up 30%[1] of in patients on medium secure psychiatric wards despite having similar rates of mental illness as British white people.

• Black Mental Health UK are working to see a reduction in the death rates of patients detained under the Mental Health Act which saw a 40% increase in 2007 to over 300 causalities.

[1] Mental Health Act Commission. (2007) Count Me In Census 2006, 23 March 2007. Mental Health Act Commission

Source
Sam Watson
Black Mental Health UK