AddRessing the ImpAct of coviD-19 paNdEmic on the access to and experience of mental health care of people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups (ARIADNE)

Background People from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups have worse experiences of mental health care than White British groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened these inequalities through reduced availability of routine community care and increased psychological distress, particularly in BAME groups; studies have also shown that the economic downturn and COVID-related mortality have disproportionally impacted BAME groups. Hence there is a greater need than ever to develop and implement policies and actions to reduce these inequalities.

A participatory process provides opportunities for genuine involvement of BAME service users and other relevant stakeholders in developing these actions, maximising the likelihood of achieving real and actionable change.

Aims Developing feasible and implementable solutions, i.e. actions and interventions for improving access and experience of mental health care for BAME groups, through participatory research. Methods and timelines for delivery We will use an experience-based co-design approach.

The research will be carried out in four sites (Coventry and Warwickshire, East London, Sheffield, Greater Manchester), including geographical areas with different levels of social deprivation, ethnic composition and urbanicity/rurality.

There will be 3 work packages (WPs): WP1 (Months, M1-6) will comprise interviews with service users, carers, NHS and community & voluntary sector staff, and other stakeholders (social care and police).

This will provide a broad range of views on the gaps and inequalities in current mental health care and how the pandemic has impacted them. WP2 (M3-6) will involve separate professionals and service users workshops to identify priority areas (touchpoints).

WP3 (M7-12) will comprise a series of five workshops with smaller numbers of service users and professionals to translate identified priorities into service improvement actions which can be put in practice and monitored.

The first three workshops will be run locally at all the four sites, whilst the last two workshops will be online and include representatives across the four sites to identify common and generalisable actions and interventions.

Theory of change and implementation plans for the developed local and national actions and interventions will be formulated in collaboration with behavioural and organisational change experts in our team.

Anticipated impact and dissemination The actions and interventions arising from this study are expected to be immediately usable at both local and national levels. A final dissemination event will include national policy makers as well as local community leaders.

Policy guidance will be circulated to local and national policy makers and findings summarised in scientific publications and disseminated through social media and local broadcasters.

Service user involvement will not only be at the heart of the participatory design process but also play a role in steering it.

We will have a lived experience advisory group working across the four areas to co-develop interview guides and other resources, provide further advice on identified solutions and dissemination.

Target national groups will include the Synergi Collaborative Centre, the NHS Race and Health Observatory, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Government Commission on Race Equality.