South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) will pilot a Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework approach to delivering mental health services. Over the next two years, they will bring Black communities, Black service users and their carers with their staff to reimagine their mental health services.
This will be delivered in partnership with Black Thrive and Croydon BME Forum.
What is a Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework?
The Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework is a way to help organisations to eliminate the unacceptable racial disparity seen in service access, experience and outcomes. This will be achieved through better engagement and involvement of communities affected, service users and their carers and the staff of mental health trusts.
Dr Jacqui Dyer MBE, the NHS England’s Mental Health Equalities Advisor and lead for the PCREF work nationally said,
“I am delighted that SLaM is working in partnership with racialised communities, in a range of coproduction activities, to reimagine, then transform and deliver services that better meet needs of citizens from Black communities. This has to be from a place of trust and confidence because when people need to use these services they are at their most vulnerable. It is a reflection of SLaM’s commitment, to be better than before, that they are embarking on this journey. Particularly with Black communities that historically have not had a good experience therefore the mistrust of services runs deep. In this moment the whole leadership, workforce and communities are determined to improve the experience for Black communities in a sustained way. This is what it means to advance mental health equalities and I am happy to be involved”.
David Bradley, Chief Executive of SLaM, said: “Equity in mental health services has never been so important. I am pleased SLaM is a national pilot site for the development of PCREF. Together with our partners we will improve mental health services for people from the Black community to ensure our service users and carers have equity in access and positive experiences and outcomes”.
Get involved
SLaM is calling on Black communities in Lambeth, Southwark, Croydon and Lewisham to take part in this groundbreaking initiative by participating at some of their upcoming events.
If you can’t make the listed events, there will be plenty of opportunity to contribute so get in touch with SLaM, Black Thrive or Croydon BME Forum.
