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Stockport Race Equality Partnership and Professor Dawn Edge from The University of Manchester are keen to see the One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy incorporate NHS Englands new Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework. This blog is intended to help raise awareness of this new accountability framework and ensure the One Stockport strategy is culturally informed and adapted for ethnically diverse communities.
One Stockport have recently released their One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
"Partners from across Stockport have joined together to develop the One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to improve mental health for everyone, of all ages and backgrounds, in Stockport."
~ One Stockport
Image above: One Stockport set out 5 ambitions for the new mental health strategy.
It's always fantastic to see healthcare strategies being developed in coproduction with local people and organisations. You can read more about the strategy here.
But how does the strategy link with The Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF)? A new NHS England framework that has been developed based on recommendations from the Mental Health Act Review in 2018.
Professor Dawn Edge from The University of Manchester raised this question with us at Stockport Race Equality Partnership. Edge is the Professor of Mental Health & Inclusivity in the Division of Psychology & Mental Health in the School of Health Sciences. Professor Edge is also a Stockport resident and took particular interest in the release of the new One Stockport strategy.
"I am actively engaged in working with communities to improve health and wellbeing – especially among those who are marginalised, socially excluded, and experience inferior access to health and care. "
~ Professor Dawn Edge
Professor Edge was formerly, a Non-Executive Director of two NHS Mental Health Trusts in the North West of England. She has also held secondments to the national Care Standards Improvement Partnership (CSIP) and its precursor, the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE). You can read more about Edge's research interests here.
How to put the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework into Action
Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) pilots are currently ongoing at four sites including in Greater Manchester, Birmingham and two in London. Incorporating the PCREF into the One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy will be an important step to take to ensure One Stockport achieves its ambitions.
In 2024, the PCREF will be rolled out nationally to assess mental health services’ ability to demonstrate how they will tackle ethnically-based inequalities. It is intended to form part of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments.
Professor Edge explained that she is currently working on a study in Greater Manchester which could enable organisations to implement the PCREF and provide culturally-informed evidence-based therapy for African and Caribbean families.
"The study, called Culturally-adapted Family Intervention (CaFi), is the first and currently only talking therapy designed to address the longstanding inequalities experienced by Black and Mixed heritage people diagnosed with schizophrenia and related psychoses."
~ Professor Dawn Edge
The CaFi study is currently taking referrals. If you would like to take part or refer a patient, contact CaFITM@gmmh.nhs.uk.
At South London and Maudsley NHS Trust where one of the PCREF pilots is taking place, there have already been some invaluable lessons shared around implementing the framework.
"PCREF is an ambitious and transformative programme where partnership working is at its heart. We acknowledge from the outset the expertise that local, Black-led organisation bring as partners and are delivering the programme in partnership with Black Thrive Lambeth and Croydon BME Forum."
"Everything we do involves counting to three. This means we have a Black service user / carer rep, Black community rep and Trust staff rep involved in decision making and keeping views and perspectives in balance."
~ South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
Find out more about the South London and Maudsley pilot here.
Although we appreciate Stockport has it's own unique mix of ethnically diverse communities and will need different representation and voices at the table, we are keen to understand how we can implement the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework in our locality.
Professor Dawn Edge would like to meet with strategic leaders including those from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, to support the implementation of the PCREF. Stockport Race Equality Partnership will continue to support Dawn, and Stockport healthcare partners, to put this framework into practice and ensure the One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is culturally adapted and informed.
Nurturing the mental health and wellbeing of ethnically diverse communities is core to our work at Stockport Race Equality Partnership. As we continue supporting our community through our grassroots work at the Cultural and Wellbeing Hub, we will endeavour to take Positive Action to help develop equitable systems for all.
To contact Professor Dawn Edge about the One Stockport Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework email: dawn.edge@manchester.ac.uk
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