This document discusses the history of discrimination faced by Black communities in Britain, current issues around mental health representation and services, and ideas for improving outcomes. It covers topics like the Windrush scandal, overrepresentation in the mental health system, lack of culturally sensitive services, impact of austerity and Brexit, and proposes community-led solutions like adopting a community trauma framework, co-production with Black communities, developing Black leadership in the NHS, and using arts and culture for wellbeing.

1. Windrush to Brexit: From Yard to Neighbourhoods
in Lambeth
Patrick Vernon OBE

2. Windrush Generation

4. NHS @ 70

5. NHS:Many Rivers To Cross

6. NHS Journey to Windrush @70

7. Windrush Day & 70th Anniversay
• Recognition of Windrush
Generation
• The importance of the
migrant contribution to
Britain
• Celebrating multicultural
and secular Britain
• Promotion of tolerance
and diversity post Brexit

9. Windrush Scandal

10. Six Months On

11. Historical Perspectives on Community
Trauma and Afriphobia
• History of Enslavement and Colonialization
• War and Conflict
• Eugenics Movement and Fascism
• The Colour Bar
• Race Riots
• Immigration Policy and Rivers of Blood

12. Historical Perspectives on Community
Trauma and Afriphobia
• Sus Laws and Ganga Psychosis
• Riots and Uprising (recognition of Every Day
racism)
• Structural Racism and Stephen Lawrence
• Knife and Gun Crime
• Grenfell
• Windrush Generation and British Citizenship
and Identity

36. The creation of Black History Month

37. Failure in health and social policy since the
closure of asylums in the 1980/90s:
• Research shows that black people are overrepresented by three
times in the acute end of services and six times more likely to suffer
from death under restraint in police custody.
• Black people are less likely to receive preventative services and
talking therapies.
• Detention rates under the Mental Health Act are 44% higher
amongst black patients.
• Young men are three times more likely to have been in contact with
mental health services in the year before they committed suicide than
their white counterparts, and their suicides are more likely to be
considered preventable.
• As psychiatric inpatients, they are twice as likely to commit suicide as
white psychiatric inpatients.
• Current services are Eurocentric and not culturally sensitive, which
has an impact on patient outcomes.

38. • In any given year, 20% of children and young people are said to
have a mental health problem, but there is no data available about
how many are from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.
• Young black people are disproportionately overrepresented in the
youth justice system, social services and looked-after provision,
exclusion from school, and educational underachievement.
• Research indicates that older people may experience dementia and
depression at a higher rate than among indigenous older people.
• Depression among black and minority ethnic older people from
several different groups is known to be associated with a range of
disadvantageous conditions, including chronic health problems,
stroke, poor housing, low family support, and poor socioeconomic
status.

39. The impact of overrepresentation of
Black people in mental health services
Many black communities have lost trust in services due
to experiences of racism and cultural differences, as
highlighted in the 2002 report “Breaking the circles of
fear.”
• Stigma around mental health still exists, making it
difficult to talk about problems and to seek early help for
fear of being given a diagnosis.
• The ingrained prejudice and stigma against the Mad,
Bad, Dangerous, and Black presents a massive challenge
to the black community involved in the mental health
system.
• Inequality and discrimination of black communities can
lead to increased risk of psychosis.
• There is a lack of black representation in decision
making within the NHS, as well as amongst employees of
mental health services.
• There is a lack of capacity in communities to deliver
mental health interventions.
• Most health spending is tied up in acute rather than
preventative services.
• There is difficulty in addressing causal factors for poor
mental health, such as deprivation and social exclusion,
which are disproportionately present in poorer and black
communities.

40. Current issues and challenges facing
Black communities around mental
Health
• Impact of CAMS services and Look After Children
• Gangs, gun and knife crimes
• LGBTQ
• Gender and domestic violence
• Migrants, refugees/asylum seekers living in the
shadows
• Dementia
• Impact of austerity
• Impact of Brexit

43. Black Thrive
• Co Production (
principles of respect
and sharing power and
decisions)
• Black Lived Experience
• Big Data and Shared
Measurement
• Evidence and Evaluation
• Accountability
• Leadership

44. Changing The Narrative of Black Lived
Experience in Lambeth
• Afterthought/assumptions in testing models and
research programme
• Diversity in race and faith
• Intersectionality and identity
• Unpacking and acknowledging racism and
powerlessness
• Nuances can make the difference e.g. loneliness
and social isolation
• Avoiding the One Size Fits All Solution Approach
• Pressure for Quick Wins balancing engagement and
trust
• Lack of understanding inequality and race equality
• Exploring community trauma
• News perspectives of mental wellbeing using the
arts and culture
• Working with funders and philanthropist
• Structural Racism (still perceived as the ‘other’ or
not valued as equal citizens and co
creators/producers)
• Power relationships between professionals, service
providers and
• Mother Country and generational dialogue

45. Community Trauma (Repairing the
Harm)
• Community Dialogue
• Emotional Emancipation Circles
• Arts, Cultural and Wellbeing (Cultural Prescribing)
• Mental Health Awareness
• Peer Support
• Advocacy
• Tree of Life/ Community Narrative Therapy
• Leadership development

46. Community Trauma is Everywhere
• Adopt and recognise that traditional models are not
working for African and Caribbean community
• Reflection of the diversity and intersectionality ( gender,
sexuality, migration journey, citizenship status, Identity,
faith)
• Adopt a new approach around Community Trauma as
holistic approach and agency of self help
• Develop learning and training opportunities for community
to share lived experience and be engaged in coproduction
in developing training for front line staff and clinicians
• Develop new generation of black therapist, counsellors,
psychologists, psychiatrists and academics to have greater
diversity in the workforce

47. System Leadership for Lambeth First
• Recognition of the past historical struggles for race equality and
Black lived experience
• Embedding race equality and explore issues around Afriphobia
• Develop model around co production, innovation, transformation
and cultural change)
• E&D Strategy (service user/carer experience and involvement and
workforce development)
• Shared Measurement System (ethnic monitoring and data
collection)
• Provider Development and Support for Black led organisation and
user/resident lead services
• Communication and Engagement
• Governance and Accountability

48. 2003/4 100 Great Black Britons
Campaign

49. Relaunch of 100 Great Black Britons
2019
• 100 Great Black Britons
of all time
• International:
Supporting the UN
Decade of African
Descent (2015-2024)
• http://100greatblackbri
tons.com/

50. Thank You
• @ppvernon
• @EveryGenMedia
• patrickvernon@btconnect.c
om
• www.everygeneration.co.uk
• www.patrickvernon.org.uk
• www.100greatblackbritons.
com
• Museum of Grooves
• http://reelrebelsradio.com/
show/museum-of-grooves-
w-mc-patrick-vernon-
master-curator/