Race Equality

Mr. Hayes
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) cost and (b) content was of the training modules on race equality and cultural capability to which she refers in paragraph 5.268 of her Department’s 2006 annual report; and if she will make a statement.

Ms Rosie Winterton
The training packs on race equality and cultural capability were piloted within the national health service from August 2006 to April 2007. 65 practitioners, two administration staff, a number of service users and carers across four NHS trusts were involved in the pilot. The packs are currently being evaluated to determine how they will help people working predominantly in the NHS and social care towards the 12 service characteristics dealing with the challenges that are outlined in Delivering Race Equality (DRE). The evaluation will report in June 2007. The cost of the training is £240,000, which covers work to ensure the packs’ independent development, testing, trialling and evaluation.

Once the evaluation is complete, the Department plans to start full training with the training modules. The training will be targeted within the newly formed DRE clinical trailblazer network (pilot sites to test the clinically related service change characteristics of DRE). The network aims to take direct action to challenge disproportional admission rates, detention and treatment, and poor satisfaction rates associated with minority service users of mental health services.