D. Claassen :THE PROVISION OF SERVICES IN EAST LONDON

In order to know why the provision of services in East London means also in large part the psychiatric treatment of ethnic minorities, one has to appreciate the sociodemographic characteristics of this area. The borough of Newham is presented as an example. Here, 68% of %he population belong to « ethnic minorities », namely Indian and Afro-Caribbean, making it the most culturally diverse borough in the whole UK. Mental health services in Newham comprise a newly built hospital with 4 adult wards and a psychiatric intensive care unit, community mental health teams, an assertive outreach team, a alcohol and drug service, a rehabilitation and continuing care team with residential care homes and supported living, the day opportunities service with a broad spectrum of activities and groups, and the more psychotherapeutically oriented services like the psychological therapy service and the psychotrauma clinic. In addition, there are also voluntary services and charities offering social support, occupational therapy and vocational training. Furthermore, there are voluntary services for ethnic minorities. A lot has been achieved over the last 7-8 years. However, the service is still some distance away from racial and ethnic equality. Rather than the creation of separate services, we will pursue the aim to raise knowledge, skills and transcultural aware of the whole workforce regarding ethnic minorities and their needs.