Black patients in Nottinghamshire three times as likely as white patients to be detained

The Race Equality Foundation said inequality in mental health detentions is “not new or surprising”, due to a failure to invest in early intervention and preventative measures.

Under the Mental Health Act, people with a mental disorder may be formally detained in hospital in their own interests, or for the protection of other people.

NHS England figures show about 760 white patients were detained in the NHS Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board area in the year to March 2022, while just 85 patients detained were black or black British.

However, the rate of detentions when taking population size into account was higher for black patients in the area at 259 per 100,000 people, compared with 86 per 100,000 for those that identified as white.

Jabeer Butt, foundation chief executive officer, said: “The real question is why has this not changed despite being well documented over a number of years? The health and care system fails to invest in early intervention, even though this has been highlighted as an issue for a long time.

“A failure to invest in early intervention and preventative measures means problems are allowed to develop until things reach crisis point.”

Nationally, 53,337 new detentions under the Mental Health Act were recorded in 2021-22. Yet, the overall totals will be higher as not all providers submitted data and some submitted incomplete data.

Among the five broad ethnic groups, the rate of detention for black or black British people. at 342 detentions per 100,000 population, was nearly five times that of white people, 72 per 100,000. It meant they were the most likely ethnicity to be detained.

An NHS spokesman said the health service is committed to fighting health inequalities.

He said the launch of a dedicated mental health equalities strategy in 2020 has ensured steps to improve the access, experience, and outcomes for people from ethnic minority groups who need mental health care.

He said: “The NHS has also launched a new quality programme to ensure hospitals are supporting people who are detained under the Mental Health Act, including addressing inequalities in how the Act is applied.”

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has been approached for comment.