The Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is an anti-racism framework developed by NHS England to address racial inequalities in mental health services and improve outcomes for people from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. The framework aims to make mental health services more equitable and culturally appropriate.
The framework focuses on three core domains:
Leadership and Governance: NHS trusts’ boards are expected to lead efforts by developing and monitoring clear, actionable plans to tackle health inequalities. This includes setting strategic priorities and ensuring accountability at the highest levels.
Data: A new dataset will be introduced to track progress in reducing racial health disparities. Additionally, all existing core datasets must now include detailed ethnicity data, enabling more accurate analysis and targeted interventions.
Feedback Mechanisms: Trusts’ must establish visible, accessible, and effective systems for patients and carers to provide feedback. There must also be transparent processes for acting on this feedback and reporting outcomes.
The PCREF marks a significant shift in how mental health services are designed and delivered, placing co-production, the active involvement of individuals and communities, at the centre of service development. It builds on local progress and aims to create a consistent, national approach to anti-racism in mental health care. By embedding equity into leadership, data, and feedback systems, the PCREF seeks to ensure that mental health services are fair, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of all communities.
At our Trust PCREF forms a key part of our Together Against Racism Programme. This joint programme between LPT and our Group partner Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) is about acknowledging that racism and discrimination exist – and cohesively taking action to tackle them together. It is about the actions we take to challenge ourselves and others, as well as organisations, cultures and communities about unequal and discriminatory behaviours, structures, and attitudes.
You can find out more about our Together Against Racism Programme on our website.
We have partnered with local voluntary and community sector organisations including the African Heritage Alliance, Jamila’s Legacy and Outspoken to ensure we coproduce and engage with our communities on the things that matter to them and aiming to reduce health inequalities in relation to mental health.
Our 2025/26 PCREF Delivery Plan
Our PCREF and Culture of Care 25-26 Delivery Plan was agreed by our Transformation and Quality Improvement Committee in April 2025.
To achieve our ambition, a programme structure has been established, including four priority workstreams. Our plan, which has been developed with our patients, carers, voluntary and community sector and system partners, and is aligned to the three core domains of PCREF.
- Workforce and cultural awareness
- Partnership working
- Coproduction and lived experience
- Improving data quality and insight
To oversee the delivery of our plan, we have established our PCREF steering group, which is co-chaired by one of our lived experience partners, has membership from across the Trust, voluntary and community partners, patients and carers and statutory partners. The key purpose of the steering group is to guide the implementation of the PCREF within the Trust, ensuring the elimination of racial disparities in mental health services and the delivery of equitable, culturally appropriate care for all patients and carers.
What does this mean for our communities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland?
We are committed to addressing racial inequalities and fostering inclusivity through the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) and the “Together Against Racism” initiative.
The PCREF aims to ensure that service users from racialised communities, along with their families and carers, feel genuinely involved in shaping local healthcare services. This includes active participation in developing and reviewing PCREF plans and having their voices heard at all levels, including the Trust Board. A key goal is to make service users feel confident and comfortable in providing feedback, knowing that their experiences are valued and used to drive continuous service improvement.
Through a structured PCREF delivery approach, we will aim to:
- Leadership and governance – The Trust Board takes responsibility for leading and monitoring action plans aimed at reducing health inequalities.
- Data – The Trust commits to publishing new data that tracks progress in reducing health disparities, including detailed ethnicity data across all existing datasets.
- Feedback – There will be clear, accessible, and effective mechanisms for patients and carers to provide feedback, with transparent processes for acting on and reporting outcomes.
The Trust acknowledges the varied experiences of individuals based on race and background and is committed to open dialogue about race and inequality. It aims to develop practical solutions to combat racism and promote equity. The PCREF is a collaborative effort involving statutory services, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sectors. Its success depends on the co-production and implementation of inclusive practices by Trust staff, service users, and carers.
Complementing the PCREF, the “Together Against Racism” initiative is a joint program between LPT and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) designed to combat racism and foster inclusivity within both organisations and the wider community. The initiative is built on three foundational pillars:
- Workforce
- Patients and Service Users
- Community
Each pillar is supported by dedicated working groups responsible for creating and executing action plans that promote anti-racist environments. The initiative includes workshops, discussions, and engagement activities to build understanding and collaboration among staff and leadership.
Together, the PCREF and “Together Against Racism” reflect a broader, sustained commitment by LPT and NHFT to create inclusive, equitable, and supportive environments for both staff and service users. These initiatives aim to embed anti-racist practices into everyday operations, ensuring that all individuals feel respected, heard, and valued.
How can I get involved or share my experiences?
We want to encourage our patients, service users, carers, families, community and voluntary organisations, and members of the public to get involved with working in partnership to develop the PCREF.
If you are interested in getting involved in our PCREF work, or other aspects of the Trust’s work, please follow this link https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/involving-you/involving-you/
We also want to hear about your experience of using our services or being a carer or family member or friend of someone accessing our services. This might include sharing your experience of how your cultural needs were considered during your or your friend or family member’s care, how your family or carers were involved in discussions about your care, or the experience of sharing your personal information.
You can contact the team by emailing our Patient Experience team: lpt.patient.experience@nhs.net.
Resources and further information
You can find out more about the PCREF and related programmes by visiting these websites / documents:
- NHS England Website
- NHS England PCREF Easy Read Information
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Patient and carer race equality framework (PCREF): Our interim approach
- Culture of Care Programme
- Together Against Racism Programme