The Welsh Government began consultation on draft guidance for healthcare practitioners to assist effective working with Gypsies and Travellers. The guidance included a summary analysis of the research and evidence base, together with advice on, and examples of, effective practice with these communities. The consultation would close on 30 October 2014.
Source: Travelling to Better Health: Guidance for healthcare practitioners on working effectively with Gypsies and Travellers, WG22725, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | Annexes | Outcome measures
Date: 2014-Aug
A report said more research was needed into the nature and prevalence of mental health problems among children and young people from black and minority-ethnic communities, in order to support the planning, commissioning, and provision of appropriate mental health support in England. It said it was also important to recognize the specific needs of different ethnic groups and individuals, and to understand the barriers that deterred young people from accessing mental health services. The report called for commissioners and service providers to work with children and young people to develop evidence-based and culturally appropriate services, including early intervention services.
Source: Paula Lavis, The Importance of Promoting Mental Health in Children and Young People from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, Race Equality Foundation
Date: 2014-May
A report examined women's experiences of poor mental health and well-being, and their experiences within the mental health system in England, with a focus on women who had experienced sexual violence, black and minority-ethnic women, and women affected by HIV. It said that, overall, the integration of need in policy processes and structures was inconsistent, and that there was a clear need for a consistent, gender-specific approach in the commissioning and delivery of mental health services. The report made a range of recommendations.
Source: 'I Am More Than One Thing': A guiding paper by Imkaan, Positively UK and Rape Crisis England and Wales on women and mental health, Imkaan/Positively UK/Rape Crisis England and Wales
Date: 2014-May
A paper said that the 'equality and diversity' and 'health inequalities' agendas within the English health system remained poorly integrated at both national and local level and, in particular, the health agenda had focused too narrowly on socio-economic aspects of disadvantage. It said that the two issues needed to be better integrated in order to address multiple axes of disadvantage and meet the needs of those with the worst health outcomes, and that this would require administrative, political, and methodological alignment.
Source: Sarah Salway, Lynne Carter, Katie Powell, Daniel Turner, Ghazala Mir, and George Ellison, Race Equality and Health Inequalities: Towards more integrated policy and practice, Race Equality Foundation
Date: 2014-Apr
A study examined experiences of pregnant women in Glasgow whose asylum claim had been refused. Although the study found that their insecure immigration status did not appear to preclude or constrain their access to maternity care, the report highlighted a range of asylum-related policies that had a detrimental impact on their health and well-being, such as enforced destitution, or providing cashless support. The report noted that some asylum seeking women were not aware of their entitlements to additional pregnancy or health-related support, particularly reimbursement or payment of travel costs. Some had also reported difficulties with the provision of interpreting. The report made recommendations.
Source: Sylvie Da Lomba and Nina Murray, Women and Children First? Refused asylum seekers' access to and experiences of maternity care in Glasgow, Scottish Refugee Council
Links: Report | Summary | SRC press release | SNP press release
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the causes of low take-up of maternal mental health-related services by migrant women in the United Kingdom. It said that the diverse group of migrant women faced practical barriers and cultural factors which might prevent them from seeking help and, while services tended to be focused on helping migrant women to overcome these, they risked obscuring cultural factors and attitudes to mental health. It called for appropriate training for mental health practitioners, as well as for urgent further research to acquire accurate data on the needs of the newer migrant population, to inform the development of appropriate services.
Source: Zahira Latif, The Maternal Mental Health of Migrant Women, Race Equality Foundation
Links: Report | REF press release
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined the hypothesis that minority-ethnic people resident in neighbourhoods with lower ethnic density did not access health services because of fear of racial discrimination. It was found that health-seeking behaviour did not vary by ethnic density. Lower ethnic density was associated with increased reports of expected discrimination from services, but also with increased satisfaction with services.
Source: Laia Becares and Jayati Das-Munshi, 'Ethnic density, health care seeking behaviour and expected discrimination from health services among ethnic minority people in England', Health and Place, Volume 22
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb