About BE4
What's in a Name? BE4
'BE' is the shortened version of Black and Minority Ethnic people (BME).
Equity, Empowerment, Effectiveness, and Efficiency are four principles
taken from the strategy document 'Improving Mental Health Services in
Wales: A Strategy for Adults of Working Age'. The strategy, together
with the 'Mental Health National Service Framework for Adults in Wales',
form the template by which mental health and related social care is
to be assessed and monitored.
BE4 also can be understood phonetically as 'before'. Taken as a fundamental
aspect of community development theory and practice, the name serves
as a constant reminder of the need to consult Black and Minority Ethnic
groups before, rather than after the the launching of
regional and national frameworks and strategies and the implementation
of policy.
AWETU Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health
Group
AWETU ( 'Our Unity' in Swahili), is the first national organisation
dedicated solely to working with the public and private sector, user
and survivor groups, and voluntary agencies to promote and foster the
mental health of Black and Minority Ethnic individuals, families, and
communities in Wales.
There is little documentary evidence which traces the early stages
of AWETU. However, the Group's establishment in 1988 resulted from a
growing concern among a number of professional workers at the 'over
representation of black clients within the mental health field' and
the need to improve the sensitivity of services to black people receiving
statutory mental health services.
At its inception the primary concern was around 'issues' and the need
to establish a group with a campaigning approach rather than one that
itself delivered services. However, soon it was appreciated that if
AWETU did provide a service this would enable it to play an important
and more influential part in changing the character and sensitivity
of services to black people with mental health problems.
Initially approaches for funding were unsuccessful but in 1994 the
potential for funding from the Health Authority led to the formulation
of an idea to establish a cluster of initiatives covering 'advocacy',
'befriending' and a 'drop-in' facility. These schemes were devised by
the South Glamorgan Mental Health Project and all three proposals were
agreed by the Health Authority. Each of these initiatives has developed
separately and at a different pace.
For more information, please visit their site - direct
me!
Which Black and Minority Ethnic Groups
in Cardiff are being targeted?
People of
- African
- Caribbean
- Chinese
- Bangladeshi
- Indian
- Pakistani
- Vietnamese
descent living in Butetown, Grangetown, and Riverside.
Background
For many researching 'race', ethnicity and health, it is axiomatic
that disparities exist within the health and social care systems, with
'race' and ethnicity, socio-economic status and geographic location
impacting on the level of access to treatment and information, as well
as utilisation, experience and knowledge of mental health and social
care provision.
Studies include the over-representation and at times misdiagnosis of
Black minority groups with specific mental illnesses in certain sections
of the mental health services; the under-utilisation of service provision
due to the low take-up rates of minority groups; the impact of terminology
(i.e. ethnicity, 'culture- bound disorders'); national surveys on health
and mental health across different ethnic groups; and exploration into
the development of anti-racist health promotion and practice.
Drawing on the range of studies in the area of 'race', ethnicity and
mental health, the specific consideration of this study is improving
the quality of access to information and appropriate treatment in mental
health and social care to specific groups
in living in three of Wales' most ethnically diverse wards.
Moreover, BE4's programme of research has its origins in key themes,
strategies, and frameworks being developed in the Health and Social
Services, the Voluntary Services, and the Health and Social Care Research
and Development divisions of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG). Rooted
in the fact that mental health has been made one of the government's
three health priorities, these documents clearly highlight the WAG'
commitment to:
- developing the region's health and social care services
- ensuring that the Voluntary Sector is at the heart of National
Assembly policy, and ;
- ensuring that proposed policy and action is informed by clear research
directives.
Also underpinning the mental health and social care strategies and
frameworks being rolled out across Wales is the commitment to developing
an equitable health and social service underpinned by closer inter-agency
work and client collaboration. The aim of this study is to contribute
to these developments by assessing and developing ways to mainstream
the mental health and related social care needs of Black and Minority
Ethnic groups.
Service Provision
It is evident from the research that how services are used and experienced
by individuals from different groups is just as much a product of their
own beliefs, needs and expectations as it a product of the attitudes
and perceptions of service providers.
While much is known about the problems facing Black and Minority Ethnic
people in accessing mental health services, more research is needed
in developing ways of delivering appropriate services and making information
more readily accessible. Recognition of these difficulties has created
an impetus to address service delivery issues for Black and Minority
Ethnic people.
Drawing on the experiences and perceptions of mental health held by
Black and Minority Ethnic groups, the questions we are asking are:
- How can we contribute to the development of a more equitable service
provision in Wales?
- How do we identify the feasibility of implementing policy recommendations
matched to diverse local need, while taking account of local service
developments and resource distribution in this the heady days of devolution
and new governance?
Undertaking such a project requires a research framework that can produce
explanatory models capable of disseminating knowledge on how to operationalise
effective inter-agency working for the benefit of Cardiff's increasingly
diverse population. The aims, objectives, rationale, and the methodological
framework used are designed to address these issues.
Rationale of the BE4 Study
- In seeking to improve the quality of access to information and appropriate
treatment in mental health and social care provision to targeted Black
and Ethnic Minority groups in Cardiff, the aim is to acknowledge disparities
in health provision and contribute to the development of policies
and practices to reduce them.
- Although aware of the need to chart inequalities in health care,
such a task is beyond the scope of this research project. Rather,
the aim will be to document the experience of service users and gather
data on perceptions of mental health from members of the target groups.
Moreover, sensitive to the ways in which health is socially and unequally
mediated, the aim of this study is to develop a knowledge base and
framework of practice which is grounded in theory, whist cognisant
of political and anti-racist practicalities, and the need to provide
clear evidence of utility and usefulness.
- The research is based on the understanding that as mental health
is multi-dimensional concept with cross-sector involvement and intervention,
there is a need to devise a community-based, multi-agency/multi service
approach. The practice framework is to be rooted in the input of service
providers, users, as well as non-users from the target groups. Lastly,
as this is the first such study of this kind since devolution and
the creation of the Welsh Assembly Government, the overriding aim
will be to provide a practice framework that can evaluated and developed
further, and a knowledge base that can be drawn on by non-statutory
as well as statutory organisations.
Aims and objectives of the BE4 Study
The aims of the project are to identify whether Black and Minority
Ethnic people have fair and equitable access to mental health and social
care services in the three targeted areas, and to identify if there
are any gaps in access to service provision for Black and minority ethnic
people.
The objectives of the BE4 Project are as follows:
- Determine current provision and use of services;
- Collect data from people belonging to Black and Minority Ethnic
groups who have used mental health and social care services on their
experiences of these services;
- Raise awareness to empower communities to access appropriate services
that are available;
- Provide a baseline of evidence for planning to identify, monitor,
and address mental health inequalities;
- Draft a collaborative multi-professional/multi-agency practice
framework for assessing and providing appropriate mental health and
related social care services for Black and Minority Ethnic people.
Programme of Research
Established in June 2002, BE4 is funded for 18 months and is being
developed across a series of inter-related modules.
- Profiles of Black and Minority Ethnic Groups in Butetown, Grangetown
& Riverside
- Equity:Assessing the mental health and social care needs of BE4's
target groups
- Empowerment, mental health and social care promotion & outreach
- Effectiveness: Establishing monitoring frameworks, and developing
policy and practice
- Efficiency:Documenting & disseminating information about the
project activities
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for further details
How will the information be gathered?
We intend to facilitate focus groups and conduct interviews with:
- Adults (18 - 65 years of age) who currently, or in the past have
experienced mental health problems.
- Adults (between 18 - 65 years of age) comprising the targeted groups
who have no history of mental health problems.
- Health Care professionals
The data gathered from service providers, together with data gathered
from service users and others, will be channelled back to service providers
so as to impact practice and policy. The aim will be to use the data
to development ways to access to appropriate care. Also, the data will
provide a much-needed baseline of evidence of Black and Minority Ethnic
people's experiences and perceptions of mental health and knowledge
of current health and social care services.
The project has sought ethical approval from the University of Glamorgan's
Research Ethics Committee and the Local Research Ethics Committee.
- All data collected in this project will be confidential to the research
team
- All published information will be anonymised
- All participants will be fully informed and formal consent will
be requested before participating
- All participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any
time
How can you contribute to the work
of the BE4 Project?
- Are you a member of one of the target groups?
- Are you between 18 - 65 years of age?
- Are you, or have you in the past, made use of mental and related
social care services in Cardiff?
- Are you carer or someone who uses or has made use of these services
in the past?
- Would you like to share your knowledge and understanding of these
services?
- Would you like to contribute to making these services more culturally
sensitive and equitable?
- Do you work with BME groups?
- Are you a health care professional with an interest in the needs
of BME groups?
- Are you a health care professional who would like to share your
knowledge and understanding in developing more equitable service provision?
If you have answered YES to any of above questions and have
time to be interviewed or to attend a discussion group, please get in
contact!
Management & support structure
BE4 Staff & Core Research Team
BE4 Staff
Research Team
BE4 Steering Group Members
| Tim Bennett |
Riverside CMHT |
| Bronwen Bermingham |
'Barefoot' Health Workers Research Project, CLHG |
| Pat Gregory |
Triangle Project |
| Alan Herbert |
South Riverside Community Development Centre |
| Linda Newton |
Cardiff & Vale Mental Health Community Development
Project |
| Tony Hendrickson |
Vice-Chair, AWETU Managment Committee |
| Judy Noble |
Families and Community Care |
| Karen Roberts |
Research Unit, School of Care Sciences, University
of Glamorgan |
| Jane Williams |
Cardiff Local Health Group |
BE4 Partners
| David Lewis |
Whitchurch Hospital |
| Phil Chick |
Mental Health Development Manager, CLHG |
BE4 Project Advisers
| Marilyn Enfield |
Race Equality First |
| Gary Cordle |
Mind Cymru |
| Voirrey Manson |
NHS Equalities Unit |
Champions
| Professor Joyce Kenkre |
Research Unit, School of Care Sciences,University
of Glamorgan |
| Mr. Jim Richardson |
School of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan |
| Mr. Charles Willie |
Director, Equality Policy Unit, Welsh Assembly Government |
BE4's Funders - Health Services Policy and Development
Division, WAG
The NHS Wales Department within the Welsh Assembly Government, lead
by its Director Ann Lloyd, is divided into Divisions including the Health
Services Policy and Development Division (previously known as the Primary
and Community Health Division (PCH). This Division is responsible for
policy and management of primary medical, dental and ophthalmic services,
GPs, prescribing and pharmacy, mental health and community health issues.
The sub-division that deals specifically with mental health and community
health issues has a very wide remit. It includes development of policy
and practice in relation to mental health, palliative care, health care
of the elderly, continuing care and chronic illnesses. For example,
this branch is currently working on National Service Frameworks (NSFs)
for services for diabetes, mental health, and older people's health.
BE 4 Contact: Tina Jones
The Care Sciences Research Unit, University of
Glamorgan
The Care Sciences Research Unit at the School of Care Sciences was
established in 1996, initially as the Nursing and Midwifery Research
Unit. The change of name is symbolic of the growth of the research culture
at the University of Glamorgan. It reflects the move to integration
of research across complementary disciplines, sharing common principles
of innovation, excellence and relevance in research that has the ultimate
aim of improving health.
The Care Sciences Research Unit works in collaboration with the Welsh
Institute for Health and Social Care (WIHSC), also part of the School
of Care Sciences. The Unit supports an enthusiastic team of researchers
headed by Professor Donna Mead, Head of the School of Care Sciences.
Since its establishment, the Unit has achieved considerable success
in attracting funds for its expanding portfolio of research. Research
groups within the Unit span the spectrum of pure and applied research
in nursing, midwifery and health visiting and all the contexts within
which they operate, including health policy, education and management.WIHSC
is a self-financing institute within the School, established in late
1995. Under the direction of Professor Morton Warner, its prime objective
is to facilitate a programme of activities in research, education and
consultancy, designed to find practical solutions to practical problems
in the area of health and social care. The School cherishes collaborative
projects with clinical colleagues, actively supporting links between
research and clinical practice.
Click HERE for a list of projects
currently underway at the Research Unit
For further information, please visit their website
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