About aTENSION

 

            David Bennett was a 38 year old Jamaican patient who died on 1998 in a medium psychiatric unit after being restrained by staff.  A formal investigation into his death revealed a catalogue of mistakes and highlighted alarming disparities of access, experience and outcome of mental health services for Black & Minority Ethnic communities (BME).  To address those inequalities in January 2005 the Department of Health published Delivering Race Equality in the Mental Health Care: An action plan for reform inside and outside services.  The Action Plan is based on three building blocks of reform.  They are;

 

 

  • Better, more responsive services
  • Better engagement of services with their local communities
  • Better information (for both public and professionals)

     

    To help deliver these actions at the ground level the government, with the assistance of the PCT who are over seeing the management of the initiative, have set up six BME Mental Health Projects in the region (Northumbria, Tyne and Wear).  The Gateshead BME Mental Health Project, known as aTENSION, is one such project.   The project aims to bring to life the hopes and aspirations of the Action Plan.  By working closely and jointly with both user and carer groups, the goal is to achieve a mental health service that is truly patient-led, has a stronger voice for patients and serves both individuals and all communities by the year 2010.