A parliamentary debate on disability and BME communities will discuss the public safety implications of the ongoing failings of mental health services in the treatment and care of people from the UK’s African Caribbean communities.
Lord Herman Ouseley
The recent spate of high profile deaths of black men at the hands of the police while in the care of mental health services has once again put the spotlight on this issue.
Equality campaigner, Lord Herman Ouseley, who is expected to speak in the debate, will draw attention to the serious matters set out in a dossier prepared by Black Mental Health UK. They include the disproportionately high numbers of black people detained under the Mental Health Act; the use of police cells as places of safety; the coercive treatment of people this group in the system and the issue of police presence on psychiatric wards.
Deaths in custody and the need for more culturally appropriate therapeutic alternatives to the medical model of care will also be discussed.
The recent high profile cases of service users, Sean Rigg, Olaseni Lewis and Kingsley-Burrell-Brown, who lost their lives after they were restrained by police officers while in the care of mental health services, will also be raised at this debate.
Lord Herman Ouseley said: “The context of this debate is to focus on the growing numbers of BME people living with a disability. It is crucial that this debate highlights the unmet needs of BME disabled people and in particular the disproportionate adverse impact of the use of the Mental Health Act. The gross unequal treatment of people from the UK’s African Caribbean communities with mental health needs cannot be overlooked and will be stressed as an area for urgent remedial action.”
Matilda MacAttram, Director of Black Mental Health UK said: “The public safety implications of consistently getting it wrong with one group of people when they are in need of mental health care cannot be ignored. It cannot be right that people fear for their safety and wellbeing in places where they have been detained for health reasons. The recent spate of deaths we have seen are of widespread concern. Without a commitment to address this at the most senior levels nothing is going to prevent similar fatalities from occurring again.”
The debate is open to the general public. Calls have also been made for people from the community and professionals working in this sector to attend this two hour debate.
Event: House of Lord’s Debate – By Scope entitled Over-looked Communities, Over-due Change, on disability services for people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds tabled by Lord Boateng.
Date: Thursday 10th January 2013
Time: 11.45 am – Please allow an extra 30 minutes to get through security and the long walk to the House of Lords from the entrance
Venue: House of Lords, Westminster, SW1A OPW, nearest tube Westminster on District, Circle or Jubilee Lines.
