Tag Archives: race equality

Advancing Race Equity Across London’s Mental Health Trusts

On Wednesday 3 June 2026, colleagues from all eight London Mental Health Trusts, alongside carers, service users, community organisations, researchers, regulators and system leaders, gathered at ISH Venues in central London for the Pan London Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) Conference.

Chaired by Erica deti from North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), the conference provided a unique opportunity to showcase progress, share learning and strengthen London’s collective commitment to race equity within mental health services.

The conference was built around the principle that advancing race equity requires both organisational commitment and meaningful partnership with people who use services, carers and communities. Throughout the day, speakers challenged delegates to move beyond discussion and towards action, recognising that the inequalities experienced by racialised communities within mental health services remain one of the most significant challenges facing the NHS.

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

The first trust presentation was delivered by Amdad Ibrahim, Associate Director of Health Inequalities, and Dr Mona Dhesi, Consultant Forensic Psychologist and Associate Medical Director at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. Their presentation provided one of the clearest examples of how PCREF can be fully integrated into organisational strategy. Beginning with an explicit acknowledgement that racism exists within healthcare organisations and wider society, they demonstrated how their trust had used this recognition as the foundation for meaningful action.

The speakers outlined a comprehensive anti-racism programme linking governance, workforce development, community engagement and service transformation. Race equity has been embedded into business planning, leadership accountability and quality improvement processes, supported by cultural capability programmes, anti-racism steering groups and health equity assessments.

Their presentation demonstrated how PCREF can become part of the organisational DNA of a trust rather than a standalone initiative and provided a practical blueprint for others seeking sustainable implementation.

1. Commitment and Foundations

The Trust began by establishing a clear organisational commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation. This commitment is supported through a range of strategic frameworks and governance structures, including the Trust’s Anti-Racism Framework, Board Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives, and the implementation of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF).

Speakers emphasised that meaningful progress begins with leadership acknowledging that racism exists within healthcare systems and taking responsibility for addressing it. This commitment has been reinforced at Board level and incorporated into wider organisational priorities to ensure race equity remains visible and accountable.

2. Capability and Awareness

Recognising that sustainable change requires learning and reflection, the Trust has invested heavily in developing staff awareness and cultural capability. This includes initiatives such as:

  • White Allies Programme
  • Anti-Racism Hub and Reflective Spaces
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions
  • Cultural Capability Training

These programmes create opportunities for staff to develop a deeper understanding of race, culture, privilege and inequality while providing safe spaces for reflection and discussion. The aim is to move beyond awareness and support staff to actively challenge inequity within their daily practice.

3. Embedding Anti-Racism into Practice

SWLSTG has focused on ensuring anti-racist values are embedded within decision-making processes and clinical practice rather than existing solely within training programmes.

Key areas of work include:

  • Embedding anti-racist values into organisational behaviours
  • Increasing diversity within leadership and decision-making structures
  • Delivering targeted race equity interventions
  • Using Health Equity Impact Assessments to inform service development

The Trust highlighted how race equity considerations are now being incorporated into service redesign programmes, policy development and clinical pathways, ensuring that decisions are assessed for their potential impact on different communities.

East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT)

Advancing Equity in All That We Do: ELFT Strategy 2026–2031

Presented by Carrie Sissons, Deputy Director of Integrated Care, East London NHS Foundation Trust shared how race equity and inclusion have been embedded at the heart of the Trust’s new 2026–2031 Strategy. Rather than developing a strategy behind closed doors, ELFT undertook an extensive engagement programme designed to ensure that the voices of service users, carers, staff and communities directly influenced the Trust’s future direction.

Carrie explained that the strategy was developed during a period of significant challenge for health and care services, but also a period of opportunity. The Trust recognised that if it was to improve outcomes for the diverse communities it serves across East London, Bedfordshire and Luton, equity could not be treated as a separate programme of work. Instead, it had to become a core principle underpinning every decision, every service and every improvement initiative undertaken by the organisation.

Building the Strategy Through the “Big Conversation”

A major feature of the strategy development process was the Trust’s extensive engagement exercise known as the “Big Conversation.” This programme was designed to ensure that the final strategy reflected the experiences, priorities and aspirations of the people who use and deliver services.

What People Told ELFT

One of the strongest messages emerging from the Big Conversation was the importance of equity. Participants consistently identified inequalities in access, experience and outcomes as issues that required sustained attention and action.

The engagement process highlighted several key themes:

  • Equity as a priority for action.
  • Equity for specific communities and groups.
  • Equity as a current and future risk.
  • Equity through co-production and lived experience.
  • Equity through population health and prevention.
  • Equity for staff as well as service users.
  • Equity through digital inclusion.
  • Equity as an essential part of value, not separate from it.

Carrie explained that these findings reinforced the need for equity to be visible throughout the Trust’s strategic objectives and operational plans. Participants wanted to see measurable action rather than broad commitments, with a focus on understanding and addressing disparities experienced by different communities.

The ELFT Strategy 2026–2031

The new strategy builds upon ELFT’s existing values and commitment to high-quality care. Serving approximately 1.8 million people across East London, Bedfordshire and Luton, the Trust recognised that reducing inequalities must remain central to its future ambitions.

The strategy identifies four broad priorities for the next five years:

  1. Improve the quality and experience of care.
  2. Make ELFT a great place to work.
  3. Advance equity in all that we do.
  4. Work with partners and communities to improve lives.

Of these priorities, the commitment to advancing equity was particularly relevant to the themes of the PCREF conference.

Priority Three: Advance Equity in All We Do

Carrie described this priority as a commitment to ensuring that equity becomes embedded within everyday practice rather than being treated as a specialist programme.

By 2031, ELFT aims to ensure that:

  • Teams routinely analyse access, experience and outcomes by population group.
  • Services take action when disparities are identified.
  • Progress continues against PCREF commitments.
  • The Trust’s Anti-Racism Plan and Charter are actively implemented.
  • Equity and inclusion are strengthened across the workforce.
  • Inequalities experienced by racialised communities are reduced.

The strategy recognises that data alone is not enough. Equity must be considered throughout service design, quality improvement, workforce development and organisational decision-making.

West London NHS Trust

Presented by Debbie Best (PCREF Lead), Natalie Mark (Living Experience PCREF Lead) and Dr Anne Aiyegbusi, West London NHS Trust delivered one of the most powerful and thought-provoking presentations of the conference. Their session focused on racial trauma, exploring how racism affects patients, carers and staff, and how organisations can create safe spaces to acknowledge, understand and respond to those experiences.

The presentation was rooted in the recognition that racial inequalities remain deeply embedded within mental health services. The team explained that their work developed in response to persistent concerns around disproportionate referrals, detention rates and restrictive interventions experienced by racialised communities. They also highlighted how mistrust of services and experiences of re-traumatisation continue to affect people’s willingness to engage with mental health support. Importantly, they stressed that racial trauma is not only experienced by service users but also by carers and staff, many of whom continue to navigate systems that can reproduce inequity.

Why This Work Matters

West London NHS Trust identified several key issues that informed the development of their racial trauma programme:

  • Disproportionate rates of referrals and detention among racialised communities.
  • Higher levels of restrictive interventions within mental health pathways.
  • Mistrust of services due to previous negative experiences.
  • The risk of re-traumatisation through interactions with healthcare systems.
  • The impact of racism on patients, carers and staff alike.

A particularly striking message from the presentation was that many racialised staff attending the workshops were not learning about racial trauma as a new concept. Instead, they were reflecting on experiences that formed part of their everyday reality. This observation reinforced the importance of creating environments where these experiences can be discussed openly and safely.

Co-produced Learning Spaces

The racial trauma workshops were developed through a co-production approach involving Debbie Best, Natalie Mark and Dr Anne Aiyegbusi, a forensic psychotherapist, group analyst and registered nurse who has published extensively on racial trauma. Together they designed reflective learning spaces where participants could explore difficult but essential conversations around race, identity and mental health.

The workshops encouraged participants to discuss:

  • Trust, power and emotional labour.
  • Racialised assumptions within healthcare.
  • Barriers to culturally safe care.
  • Experiences of racism in professional and personal settings.
  • Organisational responsibilities in responding to racial trauma.

Feedback from participants demonstrated the impact of these conversations. Attendees reported that hearing people’s lived experiences brought the issues to life in ways that data alone could not achieve. Many described the workshops as challenging but necessary, with one participant stating that conversations about racial trauma are essential even when they are uncomfortable.

Wider PCREF Implementation at West London NHS Trust

Alongside the racial trauma work, the presentation highlighted wider progress being made through PCREF implementation across the Trust.

Key achievements included:

  • Establishing PCREF leadership, steering groups and governance structures.
  • Developing dedicated lived experience leadership roles.
  • Increasing the number of PCREF leads and lived experience members.
  • Delivering Trust-wide PCREF awareness events.
  • Running community listening events and engagement activities.
  • Developing a Cultural Competency Framework and tailored action plans.
  • Creating co-produced communications led by patients and carers.
  • Improving ethnicity data collection and reporting systems.
  • Working with specialist racial trauma consultants to strengthen organisational understanding.

Particularly noteworthy was the emphasis on co-production. Patients and carers were not simply consulted but actively involved in shaping communications, governance structures, learning programmes and strategic priorities. This demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that those most affected by inequalities have a meaningful voice in driving change.

Key Learning from West London NHS Trust

The West London presentation demonstrated that addressing racial inequalities requires more than policy changes alone. It requires organisations to create spaces where difficult conversations can happen safely, where lived experience is valued as expertise and where learning leads directly to action.

Their work showed that racial trauma is not solely an individual experience but an organisational challenge that requires leadership, accountability and sustained commitment. By combining co-production, cultural competency, workforce development and organisational reflection, West London NHS Trust is helping to create the conditions for more equitable and culturally safe mental health services.

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Reducing Inequalities in Restrictive Practice: From Data to Action

Presented by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, this session focused on reducing inequalities in restrictive practice through the lens of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF). The presentation explored how data, lived experience, trauma-informed care and practical service improvements can work together to reduce the use of restraint, seclusion and restrictive interventions while addressing racial disparities.

The presenters explained that restrictive practices are not experienced equally across all communities. Evidence shows that people from some racialised groups are more likely to experience restrictive interventions, making this both a safety issue and a race equity issue. Oxleas therefore sought to identify practical actions that could improve care while simultaneously reducing inequalities.

Listening to Staff and Stakeholders

As part of their PCREF work, Oxleas engaged staff, service users and stakeholders to identify priorities for change. The feedback was grouped and ranked to establish the strongest starting points for improvement.

The consultation identified two immediate workstreams:

  1. Debrief and Escalation
  2. Trauma-Informed Care

The presentation emphasised that participants did not ask for abstract policy changes. Instead, they identified practical improvements that could be implemented directly within services.

Highest-Ranked Priorities

The most frequently identified priorities included:

A key message from the slide was that stakeholders wanted changes that would directly affect day-to-day care, staff behaviour and patient experience.

Workstream One: Debrief and Escalation

The first workstream focused on reducing escalation in the moment and improving learning after incidents occur.

The framework was organised into three stages:

Before Escalation

Staff are encouraged to:

  • Pause before escalating situations.
  • Ensure one lead staff member takes responsibility.
  • Consider alternatives earlier.
  • Use an equity prompt before moving to hands-on interventions.

The emphasis was on slowing decision-making enough to ensure staff are responding to the person’s needs rather than reacting automatically.

During Escalation

The presentation highlighted the importance of:

  • Clear staff roles.
  • Defined decision-making thresholds.
  • Safety scanning.
  • Choosing the least restrictive option available.
  • Clear documentation of rationale.
  • Protecting clinical judgement while maintaining accountability.

The objective is to ensure restrictive interventions are only used when absolutely necessary and are proportionate to the situation.

After the Incident

Learning after incidents was considered equally important.

Actions included:

  • Joint staff and patient learning.
  • Independent facilitation where possible.
  • Advocacy and peer support.
  • Reviewing and updating care plans.

The focus was not simply on recording incidents but on understanding what happened and preventing repetition.

Next Steps

The presentation concluded with a clear action plan for the coming period.

Planned Actions

  • Agree a Trust-wide escalation and post-incident learning standard.
  • Begin testing the “Pause Before Escalation” approach on selected wards.
  • Finalise a Trust Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) protocol and minimum training standard.
  • Strengthen dashboard reporting and improve protected-characteristics data quality.
  • Embed lived experience into the design and review of changes.

These actions reflect the Trust’s commitment to moving from discussion to implementation.

Learning Across London

The presenters also highlighted the importance of collaboration across London’s mental health trusts.

Areas identified for collaboration included:

  • Common data definitions.
  • Co-produced interventions.
  • Trauma-informed escalation practice.
  • Culturally informed post-incident learning.
  • Peer review of ward-level improvement projects.

This reflected one of the key themes running throughout the conference: that race equity work is strengthened when trusts learn from each other rather than working in isolation.

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT)

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) presented its PCREF work through the lens of national competencies, demonstrating how race equity can be embedded into everyday clinical practice rather than being treated as a standalone initiative. The presentation, delivered by Erica Deti, Patient and Carer Race Equality Lead, highlighted the importance of developing a workforce that is confident, culturally competent and able to respond effectively to the needs of diverse communities. NELFT emphasised that meaningful change requires organisations to move beyond awareness and into practical action, ensuring that race equity is reflected in leadership, service design and frontline care.

A key focus of the presentation was the development and implementation of national PCREF competencies, designed to support staff at all levels in understanding racial inequalities and their impact on mental health outcomes. Erica explained how these competencies help staff build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to challenge inequity, engage meaningfully with service users and carers, and contribute to culturally responsive services. The Trust also stressed the importance of involving people with lived experience throughout this process, ensuring that learning is informed by real experiences rather than theoretical concepts alone.

The presentation reinforced the message that achieving race equity is a continuous journey rather than a destination. NELFT shared examples of how the Trust is embedding co-production, reflective practice and accountability into its approach, while encouraging staff to consider how their decisions influence patient experiences and outcomes. By focusing on workforce development, lived experience leadership and organisational learning, NELFT demonstrated how PCREF can act as a catalyst for long-term cultural change, helping to create services that are safer, fairer and more responsive to the communities they serve.

A second NELFT presentation was delivered from local community organisations and Project Zero. This session focused on partnership working with local barbershops, voluntary organisations and community groups as a means of improving engagement with racialised communities. The speakers described how trusted community settings can help bridge gaps between services and populations that may feel excluded from traditional healthcare pathways.

Carer Spotlight

Matthew McKenzie and PCREF Carer Poetry

One of the most powerful moments of the afternoon came during the Carer Spotlight, where carers used poetry to share personal experiences of supporting loved ones through mental health services. The session moved beyond statistics, policies and organisational frameworks to remind attendees of the human stories that sit behind every discussion about race equity, access and care. The poetry was delivered by Matthew McKenzie and fellow carers, creating a reflective and emotional space that grounded the conference in lived experience. Through spoken word and personal reflection, the audience was invited to consider what it truly means to care, advocate and persevere within systems that do not always recognise the voices of carers.

A recurring theme across the poems was the often invisible role of carers. Several pieces explored the emotional labour involved in supporting a family member through periods of crisis, while also navigating complex services and systems.

Here is the poem from Matthew McKenzie taken from his collaborative book (in development) – Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken

The poems highlighted feelings of exhaustion, responsibility and uncertainty, but also resilience and determination. Listeners heard about the challenges of balancing personal wellbeing with caring responsibilities, and the reality that carers frequently become experts in supporting their loved ones while receiving little recognition themselves. The poetry gave voice to experiences that are often hidden from formal reports and performance data, yet have a profound impact on individuals and families.

Another important theme was the need for genuine partnership between services, service users and carers. The poems reflected frustrations when carers felt excluded from conversations, ignored during decision-making or treated as outsiders despite their deep understanding of the person they support. At the same time, they celebrated examples of compassionate practice, where professionals listened, worked collaboratively and recognised carers as valuable partners in recovery. These reflections connected strongly with the wider messages of PCREF, reinforcing that co-production is most effective when carers are respected, included and treated as equal contributors rather than passive observers.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL)

Presented by J’nelle James, Acting Assistant Director of Culture and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) showcased one of the conference’s most innovative examples of co-production through the Black Men’s Wellbeing Festival 2026. The presentation focused on how Milton Keynes Talking Therapies worked with Black men, community leaders and local organisations to improve engagement with NHS mental health services. Rather than expecting communities to come to services, CNWL demonstrated how services can go out into communities, build relationships and create spaces where conversations about mental health feel safe, relevant and culturally meaningful.

The presentation explained that the project began during Black History Month in October 2022, when Milton Keynes Talking Therapies hosted a free face-to-face wellbeing session for Black men at Stantonbury Health Centre. The event explored themes including racial trauma, stigma, family relationships, cultural influences and self-worth. What began as a single wellbeing session quickly revealed a significant unmet need within the community. Participants spoke openly about barriers to accessing support and the lack of culturally relevant mental health conversations, leading the team to recognise that a longer-term programme of engagement was needed.

CNWL emphasised that trust cannot be created through a single event or consultation exercise. Instead, trust is earned through visibility, consistency and genuine partnership. The Trust described a three-year journey of listening, learning and working alongside local communities, which ultimately led to the development of the Black Men’s Wellbeing Festival. The project became an example of how PCREF principles can be applied in practice by ensuring that communities are involved in shaping solutions rather than simply being consulted after decisions have already been made.

Building Trust Through Co-Production

A central message throughout the presentation was that “trust isn’t built overnight.” The festival emerged through a deliberate process of relationship-building and community engagement. CNWL outlined six stages that helped transform an initial wellbeing event into a large-scale community-led initiative.

The first stage focused on initial engagement, beginning with the October 2022 wellbeing session. Following this, the team moved into a listening and learning phase, hosting webinars, training sessions and community discussions to understand what Black men wanted from mental health services. Rather than assuming solutions, the Trust spent time listening to experiences and identifying priorities directly from community members.

The next stages involved meeting people in community spaces, strengthening relationships with local organisations and businesses, amplifying messages through trusted community networks and broadening engagement across Milton Keynes. The presentation highlighted that every stage was developed collaboratively with community partners, ensuring that ownership of the programme remained shared rather than NHS-led.

Key Stages of the Journey

  • Initial engagement through Black History Month wellbeing events.
  • Listening sessions and community conversations.
  • Presence at local community gatherings and celebrations.
  • Building partnerships with local organisations and businesses.
  • Using trusted networks to amplify messages.
  • Expanding engagement through media, events and outreach.

The Black Men’s Wellbeing Festival 2026

The culmination of this work was the launch of the Black Men’s Wellbeing Festival 2026, a community-led programme designed to improve access and engagement for Black men within mental health services. Running weekly between April and May 2026, the festival brought together clinicians, community leaders, lived experience speakers and local organisations to create open conversations about wellbeing, identity and mental health.

The programme tackled subjects that participants themselves had identified as important. Rather than focusing solely on clinical mental health conditions, the festival explored the wider social, cultural and personal experiences that influence wellbeing. This reflected a more holistic understanding of mental health and recognised that issues such as identity, masculinity, family expectations and discrimination all play an important role in people’s wellbeing.

The festival also demonstrated how NHS services can become more accessible when support is delivered in partnership with trusted community figures. By bringing together professionals and community leaders, CNWL created opportunities for conversations that may not otherwise take place within traditional healthcare settings.

North London NHS Foundation Trust

Equity and Health Inequalities Strategy 2026–2030: “Inclusion in Action”

North London NHS Foundation Trust presented its new Equity and Health Inequalities Strategy 2026–2030, centred on the theme of “Inclusion in Action.” The presentation highlighted the Trust’s ambition to embed equity into every aspect of organisational culture, leadership, workforce development and service delivery. Rather than treating equality and health inequalities as separate workstreams, the strategy positions inclusion as a fundamental principle underpinning better mental health outcomes, improved staff experiences and stronger communities. The Trust’s vision was summarised through the phrase: “Better Mental Health. Better Lives. Better Communities.”

A key theme throughout the presentation was the recognition that addressing inequalities requires action at both organisational and system levels. The strategy aligns with the Trust’s broader five-year organisational goals and is supported by the North London Way, Trust values, leadership framework and staff network structures. The presenters emphasised that lived experience, staff insight and community partnership have been central to shaping the strategy, ensuring that it reflects the realities of the diverse populations served across North Central London.

The presentation also highlighted the importance of shared accountability. Equity was presented not as the responsibility of specialist equality teams alone, but as a collective responsibility across leadership, clinical services, operational teams and partner organisations. Through this approach, the Trust aims to create sustainable cultural change while reducing inequalities experienced by both service users and staff.

Strategic Ambitions and Organisational Change

A major focus of the presentation was how the Trust intends to turn principles into practical action. The strategy builds upon existing organisational priorities while introducing a stronger and more explicit focus on equity and inclusion. The presenters described a framework that links the Trust’s strategic aims, leadership expectations, workforce culture and service improvement activity into a single coherent approach.

The strategy is closely connected to the work of the Staff Networks Alliance, which brings together a range of staff networks representing diverse communities and experiences. The Trust described these networks as essential partners in shaping policy, challenging inequalities and ensuring that organisational decisions are informed by lived experience. This collaborative model reflects a commitment to co-production and shared leadership rather than top-down decision making.

The presentation emphasised a set of organisational values that support inclusive practice, including visibility, accountability, compassion, collaboration and empowerment. These principles are intended to guide both staff behaviour and organisational decision-making. By embedding these values throughout the Trust, leaders hope to create a culture where inclusion becomes a routine part of everyday practice rather than a separate programme of work.

Building on Existing Foundations

The final section of the presentation focused on progress already achieved and the foundations that have been established to support future work. The Trust outlined a number of significant developments, including the creation of an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Programme Board, which provides governance and oversight for inclusion and health inequalities initiatives. This governance structure helps ensure that equity remains a strategic priority and is monitored at senior levels of the organisation.

The Trust has also introduced several initiatives aimed at strengthening accountability and supporting underrepresented groups. These include the launch of the Staff Networks Alliance, the development of anti-racism principles, positive action programmes, reciprocal mentoring opportunities and improvements in disability inclusion through the Reasonable Adjustments Passport scheme. The Trust reported achieving Disability Confident Level 2 status, reflecting progress in creating a more inclusive workplace environment.

Importantly, the presentation highlighted the implementation of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) as a key mechanism for advancing anti-racist practice and addressing inequalities within mental health pathways. Alongside embedding the North London Way as a shared organisational framework, the Trust views PCREF as a central component of its strategy for reducing inequities and improving outcomes. The overall message was that meaningful progress has already begun, but sustained effort, partnership and accountability will be required to achieve the ambitions set out in the Equity and Health Inequalities Strategy 2026–2030.

A recurring message from the closing discussion was that race equity remains everybody’s responsibility. While significant progress has been made, panellists acknowledged that much work remains. Delegates left with a renewed commitment to collaboration, stronger partnerships with carers and communities, and a shared determination to ensure that PCREF continues to drive meaningful and measurable change across London’s mental health services.

Triangle of Care Community Meeting: January 2026 update

By Matthew McKenzie – Triangle of Care Community Chair.

The meeting opened with a welcome to carers, professionals, and partner organisations, reinforcing the importance of the Community Group as a collaborative and inclusive space. The Chair highlighted the ongoing commitment to co-production, ensuring that lived experience remains central to all Triangle of Care development and decision-making.

The purpose of the meeting was outlined, with emphasis on shared learning, constructive challenge, and influencing national work. Members were reminded that discussions within the group directly inform improvements to Triangle of Care standards, guidance, and implementation across services.

2. Triangle of Care Update (with Q&A)

Mary Patel – Carers Trust

The Triangle of Care update focused on how the programme continues to evolve as a learning-led, improvement-focused framework rather than a compliance or inspection tool. Members were reminded that the Triangle of Care is designed to support services to reflect honestly on how well carers are recognised, involved, and supported, and to identify practical actions for improvement.

The update highlighted the growing maturity of the self-assessment and peer review process. Increasingly, organisations are using the framework not only to evidence good practice but to challenge themselves, learn from others, and embed carer partnership more consistently across teams and pathways.

Self-Assessment and Peer Review: What’s Working Well

The self-assessment process continues to be a key entry point for organisations engaging with the Triangle of Care. Where we were updated on how self-assessment encourages teams to pause and reflect on everyday practice, policies, and culture, rather than relying solely on written procedures. When combined with peer review, this reflection is strengthened by external challenge and lived-experience insight.

As part of the update, members were updated on emerging learning from Triangle of Care reports, including self-assessment submissions and peer review feedback. These reports were described as an important source of insight into how carer involvement is experienced on the ground, highlighting both areas of strong practice and recurring challenges across services

NOTE: These include reports going back 6 months, so not all NHS trusts listed

Peer review was described as most effective when organisations approach it with openness and curiosity. Lived-experience peer reviewers play a crucial role in asking different questions, highlighting blind spots, and grounding discussions in real-world carer experience.

A key discussion point was how to balance national consistency with local flexibility. Members acknowledged that while the Triangle of Care provides a shared framework and standards, services operate within different contexts, populations, and resource constraints.

Triangle of care and Patient Carer Race Equality Framework updates

The Triangle of Care and PCREF Phase 2 pilot will be launched in April 2026, to test co-produced specialist guidance to support integration of carers from racially marginalised communities into the Triangle of Care.

Alignment with Wider System Priorities

Members discussed how Triangle of Care activity aligns with broader system developments, including Mental Health Act reform, integrated care, and equality frameworks. There was strong agreement that Triangle of Care should not sit in isolation but be embedded within wider quality improvement, safeguarding, and workforce development agendas.

The need to visibly align Triangle of Care with the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework was reiterated. Members emphasised that carers must be able to see how equality commitments translate into tangible actions within standards, training, and evidence.

Key points

  • Aligning Triangle of Care with Mental Health Act reform
  • Embedding within wider system and quality frameworks
  • Stronger visibility of equality and race equity

Carer Voice and Evidence of Impact

A recurring theme was the importance of demonstrating impact. Members discussed how services can better evidence carer involvement and experience beyond policies and training records. This includes qualitative feedback, lived-experience insight, and examples of how carer input has influenced service design and delivery.

Emerging Challenges and Areas for Development

The update also acknowledged ongoing challenges, including workforce pressures, digital transformation, and uneven awareness of the Triangle of Care across organisations. Members noted that carer involvement can become fragile during periods of change unless it is firmly embedded in systems and culture.

Summary: Where the Programme Is Heading

The Triangle of Care update concluded with a shared understanding that the programme is well-established but still evolving. The focus for the next phase is on deepening impact, strengthening alignment with equality and legislative change, and supporting services to move from intention to consistent, inclusive practice.

Key discussion points

  • Peer review as a developmental, learning-focused process
  • Balancing national consistency with local flexibility
  • Alignment with Mental Health Act reform and equality frameworks
  • Keeping carer voices central to assessment and review

3. Sharing Experiences as a Peer Reviewer

Carer involved with Avon & whitlshire

A carer presented from her involvement at Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, where she is involved as a lived-experience peer reviewer contributing to Triangle of Care.

She shared reflections from her role as a lived-experience peer reviewer. She spoke about the importance of authenticity, trust, and transparency in the peer review process, and how lived experience strengthens both credibility and impact. Her contribution reinforced the value of co-production and highlighted how peer review can challenge assumptions, surface good practice, and promote more carer-inclusive cultures within organisations.

The discussion reinforced that organisational openness and leadership engagement are critical to turning peer review feedback into real change. Members reflected on how hearing directly from peer reviewers deepens understanding of the practical impact of policies on carers.

Q&A / Discussion

  • Members asked how organisations typically respond to lived-experience feedback.
  • The involved carer noted that openness and leadership support were key factors in whether reviews led to meaningful change.
  • Discussion reinforced the importance of preparing services for peer review so that carers feel genuinely welcomed and listened to.

4. Carer Contingency Planning – Presentation and Local Practice

Mary Patel
Local example: Carly Driscoll – Bradford District Care

This session focused on carer contingency planning as a key element of carer support and crisis prevention. The presentation outlined why contingency planning is critical in reducing carer anxiety, preventing emergency admissions, and ensuring continuity of care when carers are unable to continue their role.

link – https://carers.org/resources/all-resources/150-carer-contingency-campaign-pack-supporting-carers-and-strengthening-local-care-systems

Carer Contingency Planning (CCP), as championed by Carers Trust, is designed to support carers by planning ahead for times when they might suddenly be unable to continue caring. This might include illness, emergencies, hospitalisation, or other crises. CCP shifts the focus from reactive support during crisis moments to proactive planning that reduces anxiety and prevents avoidable breakdowns in care.

Carers Trust emphasises that CCP is a conversational, personalised process where the carer’s expertise is central. Carers know the routines, preferences, and cues that matter for the person they care for; the goal of CCP is to capture that knowledge in a way that can be shared quickly and effectively with services, families, and emergency responders when needed.

A local practice example from Bradford District Care demonstrated how contingency planning can work in practice, highlighting practical tools, partnership working, and engagement with carers. Discussion explored the benefits of clear, accessible plans, while also acknowledging challenges around awareness, consistency, and uptake

The local practice example demonstrated how contingency planning can be embedded into routine work through partnership approaches and proactive engagement with carers. Members discussed the importance of introducing plans early and reviewing them regularly.

Key features of the Bradford approach

  • Routine integration: CCP discussions happen early, not just in crisis moments
  • Partnership working: Health, social care, and voluntary sector staff work in concert
  • Accessible documentation: Plans are shared in forms that carers can use and update
  • Support for carers: Carers are supported to lead the planning, not be passive recipients
  • Ongoing review: Plans are revisited as needs and circumstances evolve

Benefits seen locally

  • Carers report feeling more confident and less anxious
  • Greater clarity across professionals when carers are unavailable
  • Fewer last-minute, unplanned crises or service escalations
  • Better use of local support networks when official services are stretched

Q&A / Discussion

  • Questions focused on how contingency plans are introduced to carers and reviewed over time.
  • Members raised concerns about low awareness of contingency planning among carers not already engaged with services.
  • Discussion highlighted the need for flexibility, recognising that carers’ circumstances can change rapidly.

5. Carer Contingency Planning – System Perspective

Sara Lewis – SW London ICB

Sara Lewis’s session focused on Carer Contingency Planning (CCP) as a core, preventative element of carer support rather than a reactive or optional add-on. CCP is a structured way of planning for what should happen if a carer is suddenly unable to continue caring due to illness, crisis, exhaustion, or an emergency. At its heart, CCP is about reducing uncertainty and anxiety for carers while ensuring continuity and safety for the person they support.

Sara emphasised that effective CCP recognises carers as partners with expert knowledge of the person they care for. The process supports carers to articulate what matters most, what routines and support are essential, and who needs to be contacted in an emergency. When done well, CCP helps prevent avoidable crises, emergency admissions, and breakdowns in care by making plans visible, accessible, and shared across relevant services.

Accessibility was a major theme, particularly the risks of digital exclusion. While digital tools can be effective, members stressed the need for non-digital options, language support, and culturally appropriate approaches to ensure equity.

Key Takeaways from Sara Lewis’s Session

  • Carer Contingency Planning is preventative, not reactive
  • CCP is built on early, ongoing conversations with carers
  • Plans should reflect what matters to carers and the cared-for person
  • CCP must be accessible, inclusive, and culturally appropriate
  • Digital tools can help, but must not increase exclusion
  • Successful CCP requires shared ownership across services
  • When embedded well, CCP reduces crisis, anxiety, and system pressure

Q&A / Discussion

  • Members questioned how to balance digital innovation with the risk of digital exclusion.
  • Language barriers and accessibility for carers with different communication needs were highlighted.
  • Discussion emphasised that contingency planning must be embedded into standard care planning processes, not treated as optional or additional.

6. Looking Ahead: Priorities for the Community Group

The “Looking Ahead” discussion focused on how the Triangle of Care Community Group can continue to influence meaningful change for carers in an evolving policy and practice landscape. Members reflected on the increasing complexity of health and care systems and the importance of ensuring that carers are not left behind as reforms, digital transformation, and workforce pressures accelerate.

A strong theme throughout the discussion was visibility, making carer involvement, equality, and partnership explicit in practice, evidence, and outcomes. Participants emphasised that carers must not only be recognised in principle but experience consistent involvement and support in real-world settings. The group agreed that the next phase of work should strengthen both strategic influence and practical implementation.

Mental Health Act Reform and Carer Involvement

Members discussed the implications of upcoming Mental Health Act reform, particularly around carers’ rights, information-sharing, and involvement in decision-making. There was recognition that Triangle of Care principles provide a strong foundation for supporting services to meet new expectations, but that further work will be needed to translate legislation into everyday practice.

The group highlighted the risk that carers could be inconsistently involved if workforce understanding is weak or if systems focus narrowly on legal compliance. Proactive guidance, training, and examples of good practice were seen as essential to ensure carers are meaningfully included rather than consulted as an afterthought.

Equality, Race Equity, and Inclusion

A central priority looking ahead is ensuring that Triangle of Care activity visibly aligns with the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF). Members stressed that carers from racialised and marginalised communities often face additional barriers to involvement, including mistrust, cultural misunderstandings, and unequal access to support.

The group agreed that equality must be embedded into standards, peer review evidence, and training—not treated as a parallel or optional agenda. This includes capturing meaningful data, listening to diverse carer voices, and ensuring culturally responsive practice is clearly demonstrated.

Workforce Training and Education

Workforce development was identified as a critical lever for long-term change. Members highlighted the need to strengthen carer awareness training across all roles, particularly for staff new to mental health and social care settings. Without this foundation, carer involvement remains inconsistent and dependent on individual attitudes rather than organisational culture.

There was strong support for influencing pre-registration education, including universities and training providers, to embed carer awareness earlier. This was seen as an opportunity to normalise partnership with carers from the start of professional careers rather than trying to retrofit it later.

Key points

  • Strengthening carer awareness across the workforce
  • Embedding Triangle of Care principles early in training
  • Influencing universities and pre-registration pathways
  • Moving from individual goodwill to system-wide culture change

Digital, Data, and Accessibility

Digital transformation featured prominently in the discussion, with members acknowledging both its potential and its risks. While improved data systems and digital tools can support information-sharing and coordination, there was concern that carers without digital access or confidence may be excluded.

Participants emphasised that digital solutions must be designed inclusively, with non-digital alternatives always available. Data collection should support understanding of carer experience and inequality, not become a barrier to support.

Key points

  • Digital tools should support, not replace, relationships
  • Risk of digital exclusion for some carers
  • Importance of non-digital alternatives
  • Using data to improve equity, not reinforce gaps

Young Carers and Marginalised Groups

Supporting young carers and carers from marginalised communities was highlighted as a continuing priority. Members noted that these groups are often under-identified and less likely to be involved in care planning or decision-making, despite carrying significant caring responsibilities.

The group agreed that future work should focus on visibility, early identification, and tailored approaches that recognise the specific needs and challenges faced by these carers. Partnership with education, community, and voluntary sector organisations was seen as essential.

Key points

  • Improving identification of young carers
  • Addressing barriers faced by marginalised carers
  • Tailored, age-appropriate and culturally sensitive support
  • Stronger partnership working beyond health services

Collective Commitment Moving Forward

The discussion concluded with a shared commitment to using the Community Group as a platform for influence, learning, and accountability. Members recognised the value of continuing to share practical examples alongside strategic discussion, ensuring that Triangle of Care principles are translated into everyday practice.

Looking ahead, the group aims to remain proactive, inclusive, and responsive—supporting services to recognise carers as equal partners and ensuring that no carer is left unseen or unsupported as systems evolve.

Key discussion points

  • Preparing for Mental Health Act reform
  • Embedding the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework
  • Improving workforce training and education pathways
  • Supporting young carers and marginalised communities
  • Improving data and digital systems without exclusion

As Chair I thanked contributors and reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration to ensure carers are recognised as equal partners in care, with Triangle of Care principles translated into meaningful practice across services.

For those interested to hear more about triangle of care, see details below

Poetry Submissions for Minority Carers in Mental Health Care: Share Your Voice

Matthew McKenzie FRSA BEM, poet and advocate for unpaid ethnic mental health carers, is inviting carers involved in NHS Trusts, PCREF (Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework), and Trust involvement registers to submit their poems for an upcoming 2026 poetry collection. This collection will spotlight minority carers’ voices and explore themes of race, culture, and lived experience in mental health care.

About the Poetry Collection

The collection will focus on amplifying minority carers’ experiences through poetry. It will be part of the paperback version of Matthew’s upcoming poetry book Unpaid, Unseen and Yet Unbroken and will include poems from carers all over the country. This is a unique opportunity for minority ethnic carers to have their voices heard and their stories shared on a national platform, contributing to the ongoing conversation about race equality, care, and mental health.

Why Should You Submit a Poem?

If you’re a minority carer or carers from underrepresented community, your voice matters. PCREF is committed to creating systemic change, and this collection will work alongside it to ensure that carers from minority communities are not left unheard. Submitting your poem gives you the chance to:

  • Raise awareness of the emotional, cultural, and psychological realities of being a carer.
  • Inspire others by sharing your lived experience.
  • Amplify minority voices within NHS Trusts, PCREF spaces, and mental health care systems.

Who Can Submit?

We welcome submissions from unpaid ethnic mental health carers who are:

  • Involved in NHS Trusts, PCREF, or trust involvement registers.
  • Attending ethnic mental health carer peer groups at carer centres
  • Interested in sharing their personal experiences and reflections through poetry.

How to Submit Your Poem:

  • Submit an original poem that reflects the emotional, cultural, and psychological realities of being an unpaid mental health carer.
  • Poems can focus on themes such as:
    • Emotional challenges of care
    • The hidden burden of caring
    • Resilience and survival
    • Navigating mental health services
    • Coping with racial and cultural barriers in care
    • Family dynamics in caregiving
  • Deadline for submissions is late April 2026.

Submission Guidelines:

  1. Format: Poems can be submitted in Word, PDF, or plain text format.
  2. Length: There is no strict length, but we recommend that submissions be no longer than 1 page.
  3. Multiple submissions: You can submit more than one poem if desired.
  4. Contact Information: Please include your full name, contact details along with your poem, so i can credit you. Unless you wish to be anonymous.

How to Submit:

You can also reach out to Matthew directly if you have any questions about the submission process or the collection.

What Happens After You Submit?

Once submissions are received, I will review all entries and select poems that align with the themes of the collection. All selected poets will be notified and credited in the final publication.

Need Inspiration or Support?

If you’re unsure where to start or need some encouragement, consider reflecting on your personal journey as a carer. Think about moments where language failed to express your experience or times when your strength surprised you. Your story is valuable, and this collection is about lifting up voices that have often been overlooked.

Contact Information:

For any questions or additional information, please contact Matthew McKenzie:

Submit Your Poem and Be Part of the Change

This is your chance to raise awareness and inspire others by sharing your lived experiences through poetry. Help shape a future where minority carers are valued, heard, and recognized for the essential work they do. We look forward to reading your stories!

Ethnic mental health Carer Forum Update March 2025

The Importance of Ethnic Minority Mental Health Carer Voices: Empowering Unpaid Carers from the Global Majority by Matthew McKenzie

In today’s world, the voices of ethnic minority carers in mental health services must be heard and valued. The National Ethnic Mental Health Carers Forum meeting, held on March 28, 2025, underscored the vital role that co-production and lived experience play in shaping better services for those who care for loved ones with mental health needs.

Continue reading →

Advancing Anti-Racism in Health & Care: The Race Equity Maturity Index

The Race Equality Foundation, which is a UK-based organization that works to tackle racial inequalities in public services and improve outcomes for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities. Established in 1987, the foundation focuses on areas like health, housing, and social care, using evidence-based approaches to inform and influence policy, practice, and community initiatives.

The Race Equality Foundation are developing the Race Equity Maturity Index. The Race Equity Maturity Index is a tool developed by London Anti-Racism Collaboration for Health (LARCH) to support organisations in progressing race equity by enabling the tracking and improvement of race maturity levels. The index supports organisations in the actions they take to embed anti-racist practice.

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