An exploration of the mental health lived experiences of Polish migrants, who access Mental Health Services, while resident in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.

Background: Polish migrants are the second largest and growing Eastern European minority population in the UK after migrants from India (ONS 2019). However, their representation within mental health services remains disproportionate to the population census. Little is known about Polish migrants’ experiences of access and treatment from mental health services in the UK. This research explores Polish migrants' lived experiences of mental health services to inform practice and improve visibility and care for Polish populations within the National Health Services (NHS) mental health care. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore the lived experiences of Polish migrant’s mental health, and mental health service use in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR). A key objective of this study was to inform practice and improve visibility and care for Polish populations within the NHS mental health services in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR) by making recommendations to local mental health services that can be shared with other organisations and with transferability to other services or populations. Methods: Qualitative methodology focused on narrative inquiry for data collection and analysis was used. Twenty-four narrative interviews with twelve Polish migrant mental health service users, six local Polish community leaders, and six NHS statutory leads were conducted. These narratives focused on the lived experiences of mental health services of the Polish service users and attitudes towards service use and service provision for this group from service users, community leaders, and statutory leads, respectively. Results: Five narrative themes were identified in the interviews of the service users: (i) Day-to-day lived experience of migration, (ii) Identity negotiation for seeking help, (iii) Two-fold mental health (UK vs. Poland); (iv) the NHS system as a Polish migrant, (v) redefined support system (belonging vs health need). Themes are discussed in the context of power and control, cultural differences, and boundaries – breaking stereotypes and identity, and expectations and knowing. Analysis of the narrative themes from Polish migrant service users is supplemented with insights about context and cultural dynamics from community and NHS statutory leads. Conclusions: The study contributes new perspectives from the view of the Polish migrant service user on how Polish migrants negotiate their access to mental health services in the context of their community in the UK and the NHS service system. Findings highlight dynamic identity and attitude negotiations for seeking appropriate support and the need for services to reflect this in their provision. The findings make recommendations for development in four principal areas including (i) future Research, mental Health Policy, mental health practice, and Polish migrant service users.