Islington (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Freedom of Information (FOI) reveals stark racial disparity in mental health treatment in Islington, with Black residents affected by serious mental illness.
Nearly 30% of the Islington patients with a diagnosis of Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in 2024 were Black, according to data made public by the North London NHS Foundation Trust.
Just 13.3% of Islington’s inhabitants identified as Black, according to the 2021 census.
Black people made up about 28% of individuals diagnosed by the Trust in 2023, indicating that the gap had widened.
Dr Tessy Ojo, CEO at The Diana Award, a charity set up to support young people, told the Centre for Mental Health:
“Young people with Black and Black mixed-race heritage continue to experience the deep scars of racism on their mental health, compounded by a lack of accessible and relevant support.”
This coincides with the publication of Islington Council’s yearly Public Health Report, which highlights the effects of the borough’s surroundings on the mental health of its citizens.
Poor mental health in the borough is attributed to “climate-related stressors” and substandard housing, according to the research.
The third-highest rate of serious mental illness in England is found in Islington, according to North Central London Health and Care, an integrated care system.
The risk of dying young is three times higher for people with SMI than for the general population.
Black guys are especially impacted. According to a 2021 study in the British Journal of General Practice, Black males are around three times as likely as white men to receive a diagnosis of “psychotic illnesses.”
To address disparities in mental health, Islington Council launched the “Young Black Men and Mental Health Programme” in 2022.
The program, which is scheduled to run through the end of the year, reaches out to Black men through barbershops.
Mark Gillham, CEO of the Stuart Low Trust, which supports people with SMI, said: “There is a strong correlation between deprivation and mental health problems.”
Islington’s ranking as London’s sixth most impoverished borough may be a factor in its low mental health.
Speaking about how Black residents are disproportionately affected by SMI, Mr. Gillham stated that the problem is not always unique to the area.
“There is a debate about whether the higher rates of diagnosis of people of Black backgrounds are because of cultural factors,”
he said.
Not factoring in cultural differences in clinical assessments” could be one of these, although there is no definitive answer as to why certain minority groups are disproportionately affected”,
Mr Gillham added.
What are the response initiatives launched by Islington council?
This three-year project, which was started by Islington Council and the NHS, intends to enhance the mental health of young Black men by taking a comprehensive strategy that includes training for frontline employees like police and barbers, community outreach, and school-based activities.
Since barbershops are important community gathering places where discussions about mental health can take place, the program collaborates with nearby barbershops to offer young Black males informal support and referrals.
Various professions are receiving training to help them better understand and manage the particular mental health issues that Black residents experience.
In order to encourage people to seek help and lessen the stigma attached to mental illness, efforts are being made to increase awareness of mental health issues among the Black community.