Your coverage of the Mental Health Act Commission's recent national visit ('Appalling racism found in psychiatric hospitals', news, 27 May) contained one misunderstanding.
When he mentioned 'evidence of good practice... and... instances of unchecked racism and poor cultural awareness', Kamlesh Patel was not referring to the findings of the visit but to the commission's experience in this field over the past 16 years.
The national visit has only just taken place and nobody will be in a position to give any indication of its findings until the data collected has been analysed - the report of the visit should be published in the autumn.
The visit's primary focus was to identify and disseminate examples of good practice, hopefully contributing to an increase in the effectiveness with which the health service addresses the important topics which were the subject of the visit.
William Bingley
Chief executive
Mental Health Act Commission
Nottingham
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