Having a baby in the NHS means being four times more likely to die if you’re a black woman. Asking for help in this country comes with strings attached. The terrifying reality is: even when we reach out to those supposed to care, they might not. In-fact, they’ll probably do us more harm.
Our public services are crumbling and vulnerable people may be at risk, especially when being treated for their mental health. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Foundation Trust as inadequate – again. Of course GMMH told the press they accepted the CQC’s findings in full and they’re working hard to ensure the necessary improvements are being made.
The CQC found several faults with our mental health services, but what stuck out to me was how bad the psychiatric intensive care units are. Psychiatric care, Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) and Early Intervention are incredibly important mental health services, especially for the vulnerable people using them.
Given that the overwhelming majority of people using intensive mental health services are black, it’s no surprise to me it’s a subpar service – the government would rather lock us up than rehabilitate us, even when the only threat we pose is to ourselves.
The data shows us that black people are the most likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act; the next most likely – mixed race people. In the year to March 2023, Black Caribbeans had the highest rate of being sectioned out of all ethnic groups (excluding groups labelled ‘other’) with 223 detentions for every 100,000 people. If we take history into account (particularly, the Windrush generation) plus the intersectionality of being a woman and being black – which we all should – there’s practically no way to avoid facing discrimination.
But with NHS mental health services especially, because they just can’t get it together. Useless strategies published with pages of template text boxes and typos is a new level of incompetence. It just speaks to the quality, or lack thereof, in the care and consideration provided by our NHS lately.
“We will listen more to under-represented groups and people with protected characteristics”.
Sure. The version on their website, amended for 2023-2025 is complete, but clearly not upheld. Look where we are: a damning Panorama exposé of the Edenfield Centre with criminal investigations. In 2023 ,and just last month, Tony Warne, the Chief of GMMH, likened concerned users of the failing service to vengeful crows in his blog – it’s hardly a plan well done.
“The care and safety of our service users is our priority…we continue to listen, learn and improve,” is what the NHS tells us. If I listen to the people in charge of keeping our care services caring – again, we all should – the reports don’t exactly fill me with confidence.
Time after time they have promised to improve, but numerous administrative changes later and I’ve yet to see a difference, only more failures. The NHS can’t even function well enough to let people do their jobs safely. Staff shortages in psychiatric care is a major safety issue – it’s risky for everyone involved.
In November 2024, strikes (backed by unions) took place in separate areas of Manchester – over dangerously low staffing in Early Intervention teams. This was more than six months after an Independent Review initially highlighted the issue of staff shortages. Things were so bad that strikers felt they had “no choice”.
Criminally underfunded as it is, the trust they belong to has been told by NHS England to repay millions in so-called ‘debt’; but the campaign for investment into CMHTs stands strong. UNISON North West regional organiser Paddy Cleary said: “Securing adequate mental health funding and maintaining safe staffing levels are essential for keeping communities safe”.
Frankly, I couldn’t agree more. I don’t know if it’s more money or better financial management that our mental health services need; but the government must do something about this. The Independent Review, released in January, made several claims of notable microaggressions I just can’t ignore – our NHS has normalised racism, both in the field and in the staffroom.
In an environment where over 80% of middle management or higher are white, yet 19% of the staff are ethnically diverse, simply being a different race in any NHS workplace in the region puts people in a vulnerable position. According to the report, at GMMH ethnically diverse employees are 13% more likely than white employees to experience harassment, bullying or abuse from colleagues.
Black members of staff told reviewers there was ”no point applying for promotions” and with good reason. There’s statistical proof white applicants are more likely to be shortlisted or access non-mandatory training and professional development opportunities. The sad irony here is that ethnically diverse staff were almost twice as likely to enter into formal disciplinary processes. From workplace harassment to career stifling, non-white people who work for GMMH were being held back from thriving; but I have no doubt this is not an isolated issue – I’m fairly certain this kind of unfairness is rife throughout the entire NHS.
Given the disproportionate way COVID affected people of colour, it cannot go unsaid that the black women working tirelessly for the NHS aren’t doing so in a meritocracy, it could very well be to their detriment. A 2015 research study shows that racism is twice as likely to affect mental health than physical health. According to the Stop Hate UK website, unfair treatment and microaggressions at work, over-disciplining, prejudice and discrimination in day-to-day life can cause depression, stress, anxiety, PTSD and even suicidal thoughts.
When we’re not well, our NHS is supposed to be there to step in, not rub salt in the wound. Sadly, there’s plenty of reasons to believe vulnerable people, black women especially, are being hindered, not helped.
