People from some black and minority ethnic groups were three times more likely than average to be admitted to mental health hospitals, results of a national census have shown.

{mosimage}It is the second year that the national ‘Count Me In’ census has shown significantly higher rates of admission and detention among some black and minority ethnic groups. The census has prompted calls for the introduction of mandatory reporting of ethnicity for all patients using mental health and learning disability services, not just those admitted to hospital.

The Count Me In Census 2006 was a joint initiative by the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the National Institute for Mental Health in England.

The census aimed to provide accurate figures on the numbers of inpatients in mental health and learning disability services in England and Wales on one day and to encourage service providers to collect and monitor data on the ethnic groups of patients.

The census is one of the three key building blocks of the government’s five-year action plan, “Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health Care”.

Gordon Brown yesterday admitted the government faced a big challenge to reach its key child poverty target but refused to pledge more money to address the problem.

Ministers are intentionally making vulnerable asylum-seekers destitute, a committee of MPs and peers has said. The Joint Committee on Human Rights called the support system a “confusing mess” which has also failed children.