Citation

McKenzie K. Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2008; 14(4): 285-291.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Royal College of Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.1192/apt.bp.107.004366

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Multicultural societies offer a significant challenge to mental health services. Different groups have different rates of illness, illness models, ideas of what a suitable pathway of care is and what suitable care looks like. Trying to set up services to meet all these needs can be difficult. There may need to be modifications in clinical practice, service configuration and the way services are commissioned. Ethnic minority communities face complex problems and, consequently, strategies to deal with them can be complex, requiring support from the non-statutory sector, social services and other branches of medicine. Service development often needs research, staff training, race-equality schemes and sufficient funding to make change possible. I offer here a scheme for considering how to think through service development in this area as well as introducing the government strategy, Delivering Race Equality.

Language: en

Keywords

human; social justice; suicide attempt; disease severity; article; primary medical care; mental disease; health care delivery; health care quality; health care policy; community care; health care access; mental health service; ethnic group; health promotion; ethnic difference; health care planning; health care need; government regulation; needs assessment; outcome assessment; clinical effectiveness; social discrimination; health care distribution; caregiver support; transcultural care; mental health organization