Responding to the latest report from the Centre for Mental Health 'Pursuing racial justice in mental health’, Sean Duggan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation’s mental health network said:

"One person experiencing any form of racism is one too many and, as this new report shows, racism not only causes poor mental health but can slow their recovery or even stop them seeking the help they need.

"This new report is more evidence of how far services need to go to ensure equality in access, outcomes and experience of mental health services. The NHS mental health sector is already implementing the anti-racism framework, which will help drive improvements and reduce inequalities within services. But our members are not complacent and know more work is needed to break down the barriers that can impede people from different racialised communities accessing support.

"To help deliver this support, it is vital that we recognise the immense effect and value that voluntary and community sectors have in providing culturally sensitive care.

"A key plank of reforming the Mental Health Act is to reduce racial inequalities in mental health services but the proposed reforms seem to have stalled and we do not know when the recommendations will be implemented. The opportunity for an overhaul before the next election is fading fast but we would urge the next government to bring forward the reforms which could make a huge difference to patients’ experiences of mental health care."