Lambeth Black Health & Wellbeing Commission Cllr Ed Davie & Cllr Jacqui Dyer

What triggered the work? The coroners report on the 2008 death of Sean Rigg prompted health scrutiny to request that the health and wellbeing board establish this commission to look at improving prevention and treatment of mental illness with our black residents.

The Black Health & Wellbeing Commission discovered: Black Caribbean people make up 7% of the population registered with Lambeth GPs and yet account for 17% of people with serious mental illnesses. Whilst 26% of people in Lambeth identify as Black African or Caribbean, 50% of Lambeth residents in high secure and 67% in low and medium secure psychiatric detention are from these groups. Nationally black men are 17 times more likely to be diagnosed with a serious mental health illness than their white counterparts.

- 50% of all lifetime mental health conditions first occur before 14; - 75% first start before the age of 24; - Lambeth has an estimated 4,728 children with a mental health condition (4,548 adults in Lambeth have a serious mental illness; - Just 799 of those children, only 17%, receive any treatment; - 83% get no treatment at all; - Lambeth Council has cut children's mental health services by 50%; - For every £1 spent on social and emotional education taxpayers save £84.

Cooperative Approach

The cooperative way - Work began after community concerns raised with scrutiny after Sean Rigg's coroner's report; - Co-chaired by people with lived experience and taking evidence from the community as well as professional; - Launched at Voice newspaper community conversation; - Draft recommendations tested and amended at public event involving over 150 residents; - Many recommendations involve empowering individuals and the community.

Lambeth: Service User & Carer Priorities Prevention and education Access to timely and appropriate services Improving patient and carer experience

Recommendations

Prevention: promoting and improving health and wellbeing Recommendation 1 Continue to develop a co-operative approach with residents to support and empower each other in order to enjoy better health and wellbeing. Recommendation 3 People in the community should be trained to promote good mental, physical and financial health and sign post people to relevant support services. Recommendation 4 All Lambeth schools should teach children about staying mentally and physically healthy and what to do if they start to feel unwell. Schools should also develop relations with local mental health services to ensure good relations, timely and appropriate sign-posting/referrals.

Access to appropriate services recommendation 21 Community leaders in places like churches, mosques, community centres, barbers and hairdressers should be offered training in ‘mental health first aid’; recognising mental ill health; providing basic counselling and sign-posting people.

Creating momentum for implementation - Articles in the national and local press network/2013/oct/24/black-history-month-lambeth-mental-health mental-health-services - Printed 3,000 information leaflets - Speaking at churches and events - Presence at Lambeth Country Show, Brixton Splash etc - Nearly 400 residents signed up as being interested in helping - Launch event in October 2014

Thank You Cllr Ed Davie & Cllr