Our experience: conversations with the Windrush Health Group

This report is based on conversations with the Windrush Health Group in Preston, a group of Black Caribbean men, aged 29-66 years. The group was set up a few years ago in recognition of the significant unmet health and wellbeing concerns of community members.

Healthwatch Lancashire had initially met with them as part of another engagement. From this, broader concerns were raised about the wider wellbeing of the community. In particular, the group highlighted concerns around:

• Higher rates of poor health within the local community
• Concerns around mental health
• Lack of services and support
• Lack of opportunity to share concerns about health and wellbeing with wider services.

Upon further investigation, there did not seem to be any easily accessible, specific local data available on the health and wellbeing of local Black Caribbean communities. Further information was sought by the group through a freedom of information request, but this revealed very limited further details.

All but one of those involved in these discussions are second or third generation British-born Afro-Caribbean descendants who have grown up, or now live, in Preston.

This report highlights the experience of the members of the Windrush Health Group but is set against the backdrop of the increased urgency of the Black Lives Matter Movement, as well as the recently published Department of Health and Social Care Reforming the Mental Health Act white paper, which highlighted mental health inequalities including disproportionate detention of people from ethnic minority communities.