NSFT is tackling inequalities to improve care | News and events

NSFT has launched a far-reaching quality improvement (QI) project which aims to reduce health inequalities so that everyone can get equal access to mental healthcare and improved experiences and outcomes.

Called Advancing Mental Health Equality (AMHE), the initiative will bring together staff and service users from across the Trust, together with community groups and partner agencies.

They will identify the barriers which can prevent groups with protected characteristics – such as people from the Black and minority groups, LGBTQI+, homeless communities and other disadvantaged groups – from getting the help they need before testing out possible solutions.

The project is being led by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and will run for the next three years. A total of 18 trusts from across the country are taking part, and will meet regularly via Zoom to share ideas, learning and best practice.

Dr Uju Ugochukwu, Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Director for Quality at NSFT, said: “This project has the potential to make a huge difference by ensuring that people from minority backgrounds can get the help they need before their problems become too great.

“There is already a lot of evidence which shows people from the Black and minority communities can find it difficult to access care at an early stage, which means they become more unwell and end up admitted to an acute ward. At the same time, data also shows that people from LBGT+ groups are at a greater risk of suicide. We want to address this by making sure that everyone has equity of access to the services we provide – regardless of their background, gender, sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

“During the first part of the project, we look in detail at existing data, statistics and resources to understand more about people’s experiences of mental health services and the barriers which are preventing them from accessing help. This will include working with local communities to listen to their views about the changes which they feel would help.

“Once we have identified our priority areas, we will begin exploring possible solutions. We need to make sure the services we are providing are truly person-centred so that they meet each individual’s needs.

“Even though the main focus of this project is our service users, we also realise the importance of equity amongst out staff. That is because if you treat staff well, they are much more likely to deliver a good service for those who rely on our care.

“The saying that there is no quality without equality, really resonates with this work. I am looking forward to getting started and seeing the difference which we could make.”