ENHANCING PATHWAYS INTO CARE

MANCHESTER

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FROMMANCHESTER MENTAL HEALTH AND

SOCIAL CARE TRUST Data collection: – ensure consistency

across wards in collection of ‘diversity’ data and address how the information is used to enhance practice and service delivery.

Ensure that all staff/wards receive information about ‘minority ethnic make-up of the locality they serve to improve and deliver more appropriate services.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Contd)

Establish clear training requirements on ‘cultural competence’ – the nature of the training and staff requirements to attend.

Consider making Equality & Diversity training mandatory for all Trust staff.

Address the need for single sex wards across the Trust provision.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Contd)

Ensure spiritual and religious needs are provided on all wards (prayer and ablutions needs).

Address issues around ‘easy access’ to interpreters and develop training to use interpreters effectively.

Address issue of BME staffing – how to respond to service user need for staff from same community.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Contd)

Respond to needs of the Black staff that are often in the majority on night duty.

Address the issue of Western/Eurocentric psychiatric assessment tools. Especially as the process usually requires person to speak English.

Address the use of ‘rapid tranquilisation’ and impact on dignity of service user.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Contd)

Address issues of ‘mixed gender’ group work on wards.

Develop the role of the Trust in Mental Health Promotion in the minority ethnic communities.

Invite African Caribbean Mental Health service agency to work with the Trust on implementing Action plan from outcome of ward REIAs.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS (Contd)

Develop Befriending scheme on mental health wards

Set up regular consultation meetings with African Caribbean mental health service.

Working Together Towards A BME Strategy for Mental Health in Oldham

Bringing together 3 projects across the PCT, Voluntary Sector, LA and NHS

Steering /Advisory groups

Bring together a strategic planning group involving all of the key stakeholders including representatives from user and carer groups and the community itself.

Joined Up Strategic Planning And Sharing Learning

To formulate a strategy for Oldham using the learning from the three studies

To share the training plans developed within each of the studies where appropriate

Survey Of Service User Opinions

To continue to look at ways in which we can get feedback from people involved with services to gain insight into their experiences and to feed that information into the strategy

Health Promotion – Improving Awareness of Mental Health in the BME Community

Map out current work in this area Use existing communication tools more

effectively (web site, dementia poster, translated self help materials)

Develop new awareness raising opportunities

Community Involvement

Utilise community engagement techniques already used successfully, to continue to engage with the communities and individuals and look for opportunities to build capacity within the community to support people (e.g. befriending, user involvement )

Providing Support To Community Organisations Which Support BME Communities To Enable Mental Health Wellbeing

Identify individuals and venues who may be a natural source of support and identify the most appropriate way of providing support or information to them

Developing Culturally Appropriate Pathways And Signposting – Improving Access To Pathways

Look at ways of raising awareness of current services

Map out current services and identify gaps – look for ways of addressing the gaps

Personalised Services

Work with the in-control team to ensure in control is accessible to people within BME communities.

Look at ways of building capacity of services to meet the needs identified

Culturally Competent Services

All stakeholders to ensure that Equality Impact assessments have been carried out on all services and new service plans e.g. IAPT, to ensure that they meet the needs of all sections of the community.

Cultural Competency Training For Staff

To work with training agencies and look at training plans to develop a comprehensive range of cultural (incorporating existing packages) competence training at different levels for staff in all stakeholder organisations

Advocacy services

Identify existing advocacy provision and ensure that it is well advertised.

Identify gaps in provision. Look for ways of addressing the gaps.

Interpreting services

Work with all stakeholder organisations to develop minimum standards for interpreting services

Train staff in how to use interpreters effectively

Encourage interpreting services to access mental health training

Carers Issues

To include carer representatives within the strategic planning group to ensure that carer issues are addressed within all aspects of the strategy

Audit Information in other languages which is available – raise awareness of that information

To audit information in other languages currently available

To work together to make that information accessible

To look at ways of making more information available.

Workforce Development

To work with training providers to look at ways of encouraging BME students to pursue health/social care careers

To consider potential barriers within the current workforce structure to BME applicants.

Work with Local People /Events /Community Organisations to Raise Awareness

Involve local people and service users in as many ways as possible to ensure the strategy is fit for purpose.

Share information at local events to raise awareness of services