Overview

Across England, people from ethnic minorities are generally considered to be at increased risk of poor mental health (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2016). Some evidence suggests that mental health conditions go unreported and untreated because people in some ethnic minorities are reluctant to engage with mainstream health services (Mental Health Foundation, 2017).

How we responded

As a result of this ongoing issue, we have commissioned a Black Asian Minority and Asian Community Development service. The service engages and represents our BAME community via case work, supporting universal services, including health and wellbeing services with cultural competency training and support. Our equality lead chairs the steering group on a six weekly basis.
The service will be collecting ‘intelligence around barriers to access’ that will be reported back to us and dealt with appropriately, via contract levers or via the working across the equality collaborative (a network of equality leads from all NHS Provider Trust and CCGs in Merseyside).

The outcome

As a result of the close partnership working, we receive regular reports on ‘barriers’ faced by communities, such as a varied translation and interpretation standards and usage across all providers.  The outcome of this work has resulted in a co-produced development of set of local quality standards for translation and interpretation usage to be implemented within all secondary care providers. This will improve quality and patient experience, reduce health inequalities and advance equality of opportunity.

Other key equality objectives have been drafted as a result of this close working and the BAME CDW service will continue to work with us on improving cultural sensitivity in general practice.