Internationally renowned psychiatrist praises community-focused approach to mental health care at the Heather Close Centre
The team at the newly opened Heather Close Community Mental Health Centre (the Centre), were pleased to host a return visit recently, from pioneering Italian psychiatrist, Dr Roberto Mezzina - Chair of the International Mental Health Collaborating Network, Vice President (Europe) of the World Federation for Mental Health and advisor to NHS England and the World Health Organisation.
Dr Mezzina - who has been supporting and advising the Trust since 2023 on the development of its new approach to community based mental health care, previously visited the Centre’s interim site in December.
During his visit to Heather Close, he toured the new facilities and met with members of the community and primary care mental health team, service user and carer representatives and some of the Centre’s voluntary and community partners.
Dr Mezzina said: “My visit to the new Centre at Heather Close left a very positive impression. The Centre has been thoughtfully renovated and transformed into a bright, welcoming and accessible environment that feels designed around the needs of service users.
“I was particularly struck by the sense of openness and community throughout the building, from the café space and activity rooms on the ground floor to the intelligent use of shared workspaces upstairs. The decision to create flexible, shared clinical areas rather than dedicated offices reflects a modern, collaborative approach to care.
“What impressed me most was the extent to which the centre is embedded within its local community and the range of opportunities available to users. Through partnerships with numerous organisations and building on the progress made at the Centre’s interim location at Southbrook Road, there is a rich programme of activities, including peer-support initiatives, gardening, art groups, recovery-focused education and a Lunch Club, where users can participate in preparing meals.
“Even though the Centre has only been open a few weeks’, it is already becoming a vibrant hub where service users and the families, staff and community partners work together to support recovery, inclusion and wellbeing.
“I was also encouraged by the clinical model and the culture of teamwork that I observed. The service demonstrates a proactive, whole-person approach, combining easy access for new service users with strong multidisciplinary collaboration and a clear commitment to addressing complex needs and building networks of support that extend beyond traditional mental health services.
“Overall, I was pleased to see an implementation process that is developing organically, with growing capacity, strong engagement from staff and users, and a genuine commitment to creating a flexible, welcoming and recovery-oriented service.”
Lesa Bartlett, Deputy Service Director for the Heather Close Community Mental Health Programme said: “We have enjoyed working with Roberto and the team were delighted to meet with him once again.
“We hugely appreciate the support he has given us over the past few years as we have worked to develop our new approach to delivering neighbourhood mental health care and greatly value his insights and reflections on the UK and Italian systems of care.”
Heather Close Community Mental Health Centre opened on 8 May 2026, after major refurbishment. The Centre is for adults who are supported by our Community Mental Health Team in north central Lewisham.
In 2024, Lewisham was one of six places in England that were selected by NHS England to develop a new approach to caring for people with mental health needs in the community.
Find out more about the Centre and its services: Heather Close Community Mental Health Centre - South London and Maudsley