Clinical psychology service provision and ethnic diversity within the UK: a review of the literature

There is substantial evidence to suggest that clinical psychology services are failing to meet the psychological and clinical needs of people from minority ethnic groups. This paper reviews current knowledge and understanding of factors that may be contributing to this, by examining the diversity of clinical psychology service provisions for minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom (UK). Research that focuses on the poor utilization of clinical psychology services by minority ethnic groups is identified, and this is related to the limitations offered by mainstream psychological services. References to developments from abroad are also included where they enhance understanding of the current situation affecting minority ethnic groups in the UK. The findings show that minority ethnic groups are generally marginalized and excluded from mainstream clinical psychology services on a number of different levels. These are often influenced by referral conventions, professional misunderstandings of psychological distress and an over‐reliance on ethnocentric and eurocentric conceptual frameworks. Cultural factors are also implicated. This review illustrates that the profession needs to be more considerate in its provision of services for minority ethnic users and indelible steps taken to increase the accessibility and credibility of clinical psychology services to Black and other minority ethnic groups.