Mental Health Awareness Week – how we’re supporting our communities
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a week led by Mental Health Foundation to bring the UK together to focus on better mental health. This year’s theme is community, focusing on its importance and power.
For many, being part of a positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. It offers belonging, safety and give us a sense of purpose – all are necessary to promote good mental wellbeing.
Here at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, we recognise the important of community and advocate for ways to empower our communities. We understand how a strong community can help people cope with loneliness and poor mental health. Over 85% of the care we provide is in the community and we’re keen to expand this further to ensure everyone has access to the care they need in order to get better.
Below are some of the ways we’re supporting recovery within the community.
24/7 Community Mental Health Service pilot in Lewisham
Earlier this year, we were awarded funding for our Lewisham 24/7 community mental health service. The pilot will be testing whether we can help to eliminate waiting times by having an ‘open access’ model, with people able to self-refer or walk in and receive support in real time.
On this new pilot, Chief Executive David Bradley said: “We are grateful for the opportunity this pilot gives us to resource a community service to bring a more robust, proactive and safe community mental health offer for people who have the most serious mental health needs. It will focus on building trusting relationships with clients, shaping care around what matters to people and their families, and giving the team the resources it needs to work intensively with those who need it most.”
Community Rehabilitation Service for Croydon, Lewisham and Southwark
In Spring 2024, the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership Community launched a Rehabilitation Service for Croydon, Lewisham and Southwark.
This service includes community-based supported living accommodation and helps people for a period of up to nine months.
Find out more: Community Rehabilitation Service
SLaM Recovery College
The SLaM Recovery College team offer free, coproduced recovery and wellbeing education at a variety of community venues across Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon.
Anyone with a connection to our Trust can attend the courses once they enrol as a student.
Find out more: SLaM Recovery College
South London Listens Programme
We work closely with the South London Listens Programme to challenge health inequalities across South London.
Born out of a community listening campaign that engaged over 6,000 people in 2021, the South London Listens Programme has developed into a collaboration of thousands of people, and a wide range of organisations, working to address challenges and inequalities that affect the health and wellbeing of people in south London – and to bring about real change.
Find out more: South London Listens
South London Mental Health and Community Partnership (SLP)
We also work closely with SLP, an exciting collaboration of three South London mental health trusts: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and Soth West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
SLP provides enhanced career opportunities, supporting our staff to build on their existing skills and to have thriving and fulfilling careers in mental health in south London.
Find out more: South London Mental Health and Community Partnership
Find out more about the support we offer within the community: Services - South London and Maudsley
