Embedding equity every day: How Lambeth is bringing PCREF to life
What happens when we stop just talking about inclusion - and start building it into our daily practice? At Lambeth, the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is no longer a side project - it’s becoming part of the air we breathe.
Our Inpatient Triple Lead and Carer/Cultural Awareness Champions – credit: SLaM communications
The challenge:
How do you shift culture in a meaningful, lasting way? That’s the question the Lambeth PCREF team took on. From inpatient wards to community teams, they saw the need for deeper cultural awareness, better race equity data, and more intentional collaboration with service users, carers, and the wider community.
What we did:
Cultural champions on every ward: Two carers and a staff champion were recruited per ward to bring cultural awareness front and centre.
Cultural equity is now a standing item in both inpatient and community supervision templates, reminding staff that equity isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s essential!
Service user reps now have a seat at key governance tables, and every meeting now includes cultural check-ins.
Collaborations with organisations like Black Thrive (via the CAPSA initiative) and Mosaic Clubhouse are deepening community ties.
What’s working:
Ethnicity recording rates are up - 96% in community, 99% inpatient - allowing for smarter, more equitable decision-making.
One family’s heartfelt thanks to Eden Ward captures the change beautifully: “We are so grateful to have our husband and father back home… thank you for being so patient, caring, and sensitive.”
Cultural conversations with staff members now happen regularly - not just in policy papers, but in everyday practice.
What Lambeth’s experience shows us all:
This isn’t just Lambeth’s journey - it’s a glimpse of what’s possible across the Trust. Whether clinical or corporate, inpatient or community staff, the message is clear: equity is everyone’s business.
We’ve encouraged all staff to start embedding equity into everyday practice. One practice we’ve recommended is a cultural equity check-in - a brief, intentional pause during team meetings to reflect on how identity, lived experience, and power dynamics might be shaping the work.
It can involve questions like:
- Whose perspectives are present in this room, and whose might be missing?
- How might our own backgrounds shape the way we approach today’s agenda?
- Are there assumptions we need to challenge to ensure equitable and inclusive care?
This is an opportunity for staff to reflect on their own assumptions. We advise using simple, clear, and respectful language to bring others into the conversation. These check-ins create space for openness and trust, helping teams to connect more deeply and work more effectively with the diverse communities we serve.
Progress begins with intention, not perfection - what's most important is being present, curious and committed to continuous learning.
To learn more about our anti-racism work and the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), visit: slam.nhs.uk/PCREF
