Mind Over Matter Report
Throughout this project we have learnt how certain barriers prevent people from different backgrounds from making the first steps in accessing mental health support.
Across the different backgrounds and characteristics, people seemed to lack trust and confidence in mental health professionals and would prefer to see more representation from people who reflect their particular backgrounds or beliefs.
We heard how people wanted to have more knowledge and understanding of mental health support services, and for it to be presented to them in a way that was easy to read and representative of our diverse communities.
Recommendations
This report lends itself as an ideal foundation for commissioners and providers of mental health services to use in further exploring how they can make their services fully accessible to all. From this viewpoint, we make the following recommendations:
- Commissioners and providers of mental health services in Salford to use this report as a foundation for understanding some of the barriers that people from different backgrounds face and further explore some of the solutions that have been highlighted throughout this report, in particular:
- The need for clinical staff to be more culturally aware and understanding of people’s backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.
- Marketing and communications to be representative of Salford’s diverse communities.
- Mental health services to work more closely with community groups representing people from marginalised backgrounds, to help their communities understand mental health and help to dispel myths around medication.
- Community groups in Salford to develop more learning and understanding amongst their members as to methods of self help and to reduce the stigma of mental health.
- Commissioners and local community groups to look into tackling the huge issue around loneliness by supporting social interactions between people, helping to alleviate mental health referrals in the first instance.
Downloads
If you would like the report in an alternative format please do not hesitate to get in touch.
