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Ethnic variations in the experiences of mental health service users in England

Results of a national patient survey programme

Healthcare Commission, London and Postgraduate Medical School, University of Surrey, Guildford

ROBERT IRONS, BSc, EMMA HAWE, BSc, MSc, SARAH SCOBIE, PhD and ADRIAN COOK, BSc, MSc

Healthcare Commission, London

RACHEL REEVES, BSc, PhD

Picker Institute Europe, Oxford

ANN PETRUCKEVITCH, MSc and JULIETTE HARRISON, BA, MSc

Healthcare Commission, London, UK

Correspondence: Dr Veena S. Raleigh, Healthcare Commission, 103–105 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TG, UK. Email: veena.raleigh{at}healthcarecommission.org.uk

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Minority ethnic groups in the UK are reported to have a poor experience of mental health services, but comparative information is scarce.

Aims To examine ethnic differences in patients’ experience of community mental health services.

Method Trusts providing mental health services in England conducted surveys in 2004 and 2005 of users of community mental health services. Multiple regression was used to examine ethnic differences in responses.

Results About 27 000 patients responded to each of the surveys, of whom 10% were of minority ethnic origin. In the 2004 survey, age, living alone, the 2004 survey, age, living alone, detention and hospital admissions were stronger predictors of patient experience than ethnicity. Self-reported mental health status had the strongest explanatory effect. In the 2005 survey, the main negative differences relative to the White British were for Asians.

Conclusions Ethnicity had a smaller effect on patient experience than other variables. Relative to the White British, the Black group did not report negative experiences whereas the Asian group were most likely to respond negatively. However, there is a need for improvements in services for minority ethnic groups, including access to talking therapies and better recording of ethnicity.

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