§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Ms Rosie Winterton)This statement follows publication of the independent inquiry into the death of David (Rocky) Bennett, and my written statement on 12 February,Official Report, column 77WS, which set out the action being taken to deliver race equality in mental health services, and respond to the recommendations of the inquiry.
79WSI wish to inform the House that, further to the reply given to the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr Dhanda) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 8 June at column 138, our response to the inquiry will not be available in July, but will be provided later this year.
I want to reassure the House that this delay is because we want to ensure that our response to the inquiry report recommendations can be set alongside our wider programme of action to improve mental health care for black and minority ethnic communities. This will be published in the autumn, following our consultation on the framework in the report "Delivering Race Equality". We need more time to consider the significant issues raised during our consultation on this document. We also want to ensure that we properly address the recommendations of the inquiry report.
In the meantime we must ensure that NHS staff have the skills they need to provide services, without discrimination, for people from black and minority ethnic communities. I am pleased to inform the House that the NHSU will be giving priority to develop and deliver this training for NHS staff, starting with staff in mental health settings.
Further information about progress on the national work we have started and to which I referred in my statement of 12 February is now available. This includes information about the programme of work led by the National Institute for Mental Health to support the development of effective services for people with mental health problems from black and ethnic minority communities; and guidance on best practice to support the safe and therapeutic management of aggression and violence in mental health inpatient settings.
I would like to draw particular attention to the publication yesterday of our Health and Social Care Standards and Planning Framework. It sets out the local action needed to commission services for the public to take forward the NHS Improvement Plan through effective partnership working. It sets out the national framework for PCTs and their partner organisations to take account of different needs and inequalities in their local populations. It commits us to providing national data year on year on the experience of service users from black and minority ethnic communities. It sets out how PCTs should support access to assessment, treatment and care for all those at risk, paying particular attention to the needs of those from black and minority ethnic communities and other groups that may be hard to reach.
I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate my view that there is no place for racism or discrimination in the NHS. Discrimination, both direct and indirect does exist. It is unacceptable; it contradicts the basic value of equity that is the cornerstone of the health service. We are committed to rooting out racism, tackling the inequalities that exist, and ensuring that the experience of people from black and minority ethnic communities is improved.
1 Details of the NIMH(E) programme, including key publications, can be found at:http://www.nimhe.org.uk/ priori ties/black. asp. NIMHE's guidance "Developing Positive Practice to Support the Safe and Therapeutic Management of Aggression and Violence in Mental Health Inpatient Settings: Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide" has been developed to support mental health service 80WS providers and enable them to review their current policies and procedures relating to education, training and practice in the safe and therapeutic management of aggression and violence. It can be found at http://www.nimhe.org.uk/whatshapp/itemdisplay_publications.asp?id=441