On Tuesday 6 October, just under 150 delegates celebrated five years of the Better Mental Health for All Network at the Big Shed in Leicester.

The Network is led by local voluntary sector partners, but also includes stakeholders from public health, the NHS and local councils. Between them, they work together on shared ambitions to improve mental health services across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. (LLR).

Khudeja Amer-Sherif, CEO of Shama women’s Centre in Leicester and recent honorary doctor from the university of Leicester, chaired the event on behalf of the Network. She said: “It is amazing to see so many delegates today from different organisations, representing not only the voluntary sector but so many of our colleagues from primary care, LPT and the local authorities too, highlighting the recognition and importance of working together to help improve mental health outcomes in LLR.

“Today is about looking back at the priorities the voluntary sector identified, and planning ahead together; and a great opportunity for our guest speakers to share their ground breaking innovations and programmes. We have so much to celebrate across LLR ; clearly by co producing mental health solutions we can have greater impact in reducing mental health inequalities across LLR. Together we are stronger!”

LPT’s executive director of mental health, Tanya Hibbert, joined Khudeja in welcoming delegates to the event. She said: “It is a privilege to be here today and to meet so many partners who are working to support our local population. Events like these are important for us to build our networks, to understand shared priorities and see the future direction of mental health services.

Speakers on the day included Justin Hammond who leads  the local NHS’ mental health collaborative commissioning team. He provided an overview of the current NHS and mental health landscape, national and local developments and future policy direction and funding context. He was followed by: Rachel Hall, deputy CEO of Falcon Support Services, who led a session on supporting the voluntary sector’s workforce wellbeing; LPT’s Aidha Jagot and the Joy of Music’s Ian Grayling who updated delegates on the training for supporting people with emotional distress; Clare Crowley from Root and Branch Out CIC who explained the easiest ways that partners could contact mental health services in an emergency; and Rehana Sidat, CEO of Jamila’s Legacy who took partners through the results of research into measuring the impact of partners’ work in supporting people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The event was supported by four guest speakers, experts in their field who presented new and emerging topics:

  • Doctors Claire Hemming and Lara Harris, LPT’s consultant pychologists
    Keeping relationships and community at the centre of care using Open Dialogue.
  • Dr Sherif Abdallah, Lead Consultant for Crisis Team,
    Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
    Flow tDCS in Crisis Care and beyond:
    Groundbreaking research at LPT and how this is changing lives.
  • Emma Burns, Strategic Lead, Health Protection, Leicestershire County Council
    From inequality to equity: Improving breast cancer screening participation for people with serious mental illness