Addressing ethnic inequalities in the pathways to care for psychosis

Abstract

Delays in accessing appropriate care affect patients with most major health conditions, including psychosis. These delays may also be affected by pathways to care. In a recent article in BMC Medicine, Bhui and colleagues review the current evidence for ethnic differences in pathways to care for psychosis in England. They reveal that black and Asian people are 3 and 1.5 times more likely, respectively, to come to the attention of psychosis services via compulsory admission than white British people. In this Commentary, I discuss the implications of this on achieving equitable care for psychosis patients and outcomes following their care. The current review of the Mental Health Act provides a timely opportunity to remove such inequalities in England. Please see related article: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-018-1201-9.