Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a strategy has been developed for dealing with mental health problems arising in the United Kingdom' Chinese community.

No strategy has been developed for dealing specifically with mental health problems arising in the Chinese community. No Health without mental health is a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages which aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the population and keep people well; and improve outcomes for people with mental health problems through high-quality services that are equally accessible to all.

The 2015-16 Mandate to NHS England is clear that mental health should be given the same priority as physical health. The Mandate recognises NHS England’s commitment to achieve parity of esteem, and thereby ensure mental health is treated as seriously as physical health.

With regard to service delivery, Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services which provide psychological therapies for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders have seen a steady rise in the number of people from the Chinese community gaining access to treatment. Between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014, 1,612 Chinese people were referred for psychological therapies and 659 completed a course of treatment. Between 1 April 2014 and 31 December 2014, 1,392 Chinese people were referred for psychological therapies and 653 completed treatment. More comprehensive data including the numbers of people entering treatment and reaching recovery on completing treatment will be available from Quarter 1 2015 – 16 (1 April 15 – 30 June 15). The data will be published quarterly from October 2015.