East London Lines brings you a special report on mental health among the immigrant communities of Hackney – this follows the recent release of several high profile studies on the issue.

Better understanding and support is necessary to ease the suffering of refugee and asylum seekers, according to mental health charity Mind.

Turkish, Vietnamese and Kurdish communities in Hackney are among those struggling to adjust to a new environment. Isolation, separation from family and friends, and discrimination are also contributory factors in mental health problems.

On Monday the Department of Health (DH) unveiled its New Horizons in Mental Health strategy, which will see a move away from addressing particular ethnic groups and toward tackling the underlying social issues faced by all.

Four years on from the DH’s plan to deliver equality in mental health services, resources and recruitment are still falling short of requirements, says a Rethink spokesperson.