Dear Raghu,
I know that some of the people involved know very well about the 'ethnic
issues' around diagnosing 'schizophrenia'. From what the editor (Anne Cooke)
says in her initial response to our letter, apologising profusely for making
a mistake etc, it does seem they may have actually made a deliberate
decision to 'exclude' BME experience! I was really flabbergasted that they
should have done that - they should have known that it would make them look
racist. I suppose this sort of taking the 'easy' option is what
institutional racism is about sometimes - 'unwitting prejudice' as McPherson
said.
Best wishes,
Suman
Suman Fernando
-----Original Message-----
From: Raghu Raghavan [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 December 2014 20:54
To: Suman Fernando; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Division of Clinical Psychology seems to exclude BME experience
Dear Suman
When I went through this report yesterday I had the same feeling - the
authors have totally ignored the experiences of Black Asian and Minority
Ethnic communities. This clearly shows their ignorance of the inequalities
experienced by BAME communities in our mental health services.
It is not easy to ignore three decades of documented evidence on the
inequalities and institutional racism experienced by Black people . Does it
mean the authors were looking at only white ethnic evidence?
What can I say.. A missed opportunity to highlight best practice in working
with BAME population.
Raghu
Raghu Raghavan
Professor of Mental Health / Director of Mary Seacole Research Centre
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences De Montfort University Room 3.26 Edith
Murphy House Leicester LE1 9BH United Kingdom
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44 (0116)2013831
________________________________________
From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
[[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Suman Fernando
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 December 2014 20:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Division of Clinical Psychology seems to exclude BME experience
Dear Anil,
Good point you make about research studies and it has resonance with what
seems to have happened in the case of this report too. Actually this Report
by Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) was not reporting on a study as
such. The report is supposed to be an overview of why and how the diagnoses
of schizophrenia and psychosis are made and what sort of help psychologists
may give people given these diagnoses. As far as I can see, the report
quotes the experiences of white people only and further does not seem to
recognise that matters of 'race' and cultural difference has anything to do
with the diagnoses they expound upon and what they mean. Meanwhile, the
situation for many years has been that these two diagnoses are over-used for
people from some BME communities especially African-Caribbean people - an
issue generally called the issue of 'over-representation'. It is something
that black people are very concerned about and has led to allegations of
institutional racism in mental health services and ideas about how cultural
differences play into the way diagnosis are made - and even more importantly
the treatments that may result and deprivation of rights as a result of
sectioning. The DCP report seems to have totally ignored the experience of
BME people and seems to have avoided questions of cultural diversity and
'race', although there is a vast literature on this that the 'eminent
clinical psychologist' could have consulted even if they did not wish to ask
BME colleagues who may be less 'eminent'. It may be the case that
psychologists have nothing to say to BME communities but perhaps the report
could have made that explicit.
Best wishes,
Suman
Suman Fernando
WEBSITE: http://www.sumanfernando.com
Visiting Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities London
Metropolitan University Formerly Senior Lecturer in Mental Health, European
Centre for Migration & Social Care (MASC) University of Kent Consultant
Psychiatrist, Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, Middlesex
NEW BOOK: http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=669016
NEW BOOK: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138016583/
RE-ISSUE OF CLASSIC: http://www.psypress.com/books/details/9781138839588/
From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anil Jain
Sent: 03 December 2014 19:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Division of Clinical Psychology seems to exclude BME experience
Dear Suman, Hanif and list members
This seems to be the case in most of the research trials- even those funded
by NIHR and MRC! I see that in my specialty of breast cancer.
BAME patients are excluded from various clinical trials for variety of
reasons- mainly stereotyping, interpreter/ translated material requirement,
poor compliance etc etc. Unfortunately they don't realise their studies are
biased and not truly representative of the current demographics of the UK!
Perhaps we should fight for inclusion of patients from all ethnicity and
background in such studies! Any thoughts would be welcome.
Kind regards
Anil
Prof Anil Jain MB BS, MD, FRCR, PG Dip (Medical Law) Consultant Radiologist
Dept of Radiology and The Nightingale Centre & Genesis Prevention Centre
University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust Southmoor Road
Wythenshawe
M23 9LT
Tel: +44(0)161-291-4475
Fax: +44(0)161-291-6201
Mobile: 07711919881
E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Twitter: @Prof_Anil_Jain
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On Wed, Dec 3, 2014 at 7:14 PM, Suman Fernando
<[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
You can see the report with details of those who contributed at the BPS DCP
website -
https://www.bps.org.uk/system/files/user-files/Division%20of%20Clinical%20Ps
ychology/public/understanding_psychosis_-_final_19th_nov_2014.pdf
OR try:
http://www.bps.org.uk/networks-and-communities/member-microsite/division-cli
nical-psychology/understanding-psychosis-and-schizophrenia
Suman
Suman Fernando
WEBSITE: http://www.sumanfernando.com
From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
[mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:MINORITY-ETHNIC-HEALTH@
JISCMAIL.AC.UK>] On Behalf Of Hanif
Sent: 03 December 2014 19:10
To:
[log in to unmask]<mailto:MINORITY-ETHNIC-HEALTH@JISCMAIL
.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Division of Clinical Psychology seems to exclude BME experience
It will be interesting to know who these "eminent" professionals are who
were part of the report?
Perhaps they need training on race- culture- and ethnicity?
What a sad state of affair!
Hanif.
On 3 Dec 2014, at 16:28, Suman Fernando
<[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Six days ago, the BPS division of Clinical Psychology launched a report
called 'Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia'. apparently drawn up by
'eminent clinical psychologists drawn from eight universities and six NHS
trusts, together with service users'. Believe it or not, BME groups and
people seem to have been totally excluded and of course issues (of 'race'
and cultural diversity) that affect BME groups ignored!
A group of us who initiated ISL (Inquiry into Schizophrenia Label) have
written to Anne Cooke the editor of the report and our letter is now
available on my website - -
http://www.sumanfernando.com/Letter%20to%20Anne%20Cooke.pdf
Read and see what you think!
Best wishes,
Suman
Suman Fernando
WEBSITE: http://www.sumanfernando.com
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