4 days ago
Mental health inequalities experienced by Black communities in Berkshire explored in new report
A new report has explored the mental health inequalities experienced by Black communities in local services.
Mind in Berkshire heard from more than 180 people on several key themes relating to Black people's access to mental health care and support.
Between 2021 and 2023, data showed that Black individuals were over three times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white individuals in the county.
The charity was commissioned by the local NHS Trust to engage with Black communities to understand the context behind these figures better and identify themes that may help inform future service development.
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust said it has a dedicated project aimed at understanding and addressing the issues.
The feedback explored themes of:
Mind in Berkshire is a partnership between two mental health charities, Oxfordshire Mind and Buckinghamshire Mind.
Jess Willsher and Joel Rose, Co-CEOs of Mind in Berkshire said: "This report, a product of our collective efforts, represents an important step in understanding the experiences and perspectives of Black communities in Berkshire about mental health services.
"We are grateful to everyone who contributed so openly to this engagement.
"It is important that these findings now lead to constructive and collaborative change, across the system, so that disparities are reduced and experiences improve."
Dr. Kathryn MacDermott, SRO of the Mental Health Act Detentions Project at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Nationally and within Berkshire, Black people are disproportionately more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.
"For the last two years, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have had a dedicated Mental Health Act Detention project which aims to understand and address these longstanding racial inequalities.
"We welcome the findings of the report and will continue to work with Mind in Berkshire, embedding learnings from the report within the ongoing work we are doing."
