Labour’s mental health reforms a ‘lip service’ that could worsen racial inequalities, experts warn

There are fears the proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act do not go far enough to tackle inequality, and that there will be not enough investment to support them - (Alamy)

Proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act risk worsening racial inequalities and criminalising those with autism, experts have said, as ministers are warned the plans will be “meaningless” without funding.

The government has introduced the Mental Health Bill, which will make long-awaited changes to the Act, seven years after the previous Conservative administration first announced a review of the legislation.