Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Annual Conference

08:30Breakfast session

• From insight to implementation: tackling racial inequalities in mental health services, supported by Maudsley Charity

  Racial inequalities continue to drive unequal access to mental health care, negatively impacting people’s experiences and outcomes, and perpetuating disparities across services. This is widely acknowledged within the sector, but how do we move from “admiring the problem” to taking action to solve it?  

  This session will highlight the practical, evidence-based approaches being taken to reduce racial inequalities. We will explore how Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust are empowering individuals and building trust, explore the impact of PCREF on disparities affecting staff and patients in Birmingham, and discuss the distinct challenges faced in less diverse areas of the country. 

  • Jas Kaur

09:00Registration, networking and exhibition

09:45Welcome

• Introduction from Chair and Vice Chair

  • Dr Buki Adeyemo

  • Marsha McAdam

09:50Panel discussion

• Unlocking potential: supporting people with mental health conditions to achieve sustainable employment

  Government’s mission-led approach is to reduce unemployment and economic inactivity and build an inclusive and thriving labour market and achieve strong economic growth. The biggest driver behind the increase in economic inactivity is poor mental health, with about 40% of working age adults with a common mental condition being unemployed and about 1.3 million people with mental health or behavioural conditions claiming disability benefits. This is particularly the case for young people with mental health conditions who are nearly five times more likely to be economically inactive. To achieve this change and enable people with mental health issues into the workplace, we need to give them the right support while they are ill and prevent them becoming ill in the first place. 

  Session aims:

  • The session will discuss the role of providers and ICBs in responding to this growing challenge. Attendees will leave with a   greater understanding of the busy landscape of work and health and the different trailblazers, pilots, and available funding.
  • This session will provide an overview of the trends in relation to mental health and work, and evidence base for effective interventions. There will be a specific focus on young people who are not in employment, education or training and how to support them to become economically active.  

  • Chair

    Dr Buki Adeyemo

  • Andy Bell

10:50Plenary

• Keynote address: Dr Nick Broughton

  • Dr Nick Broughton

11:15Networking and exhibition

11:40Breakout sessions (choice of three)

• Demystifying AI in mental health services: exploring leadership and practical implementation of AI for impact (supported by Limbic)

  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, and mental health services across the NHS are no exception. This interactive session, supported by Limbic, will equip leaders with practical ideas for implementing AI effectively, ensuring benefits for clinicians and patients are realised while mitigating risks. We will explore real-world examples of successful AI adoption, where leadership, people and culture were central to achieving positive outcomes. 

  • Charlotte Elliot

• Improving cultures of care to transform patient outcomes and experiences (supported by The PSC)

  The culture of care in mental health services is critical to patients’ experience and staff’s ability to give of their best. This isn’t just fluffy chat, it’s about tangible quality improvement on the front-line. This session, supported by The PSC, will look at learning from the Culture of Care: Staff Care & Development Programme, which supported 173 inpatient teams across England to co-produce cultural change on their wards. We will also hear about a peer support model of community-based care, where a culture rooted in hope and connection has created a more compassionate and relational environment for patients and staff.

  • Chair

    Harris Lorie

  • Carlina Whitmore

• Addressing the challenges of all-age ADHD Pathways: Local journeys to improvement (supported by Takeda)

  All areas are faced with significant challenges in responding to high waiting lists for ADHD support. This session will explore two areas that have made progress on improving their ADHD pathways, through building up expertise in their local systems, better engagement with primary care, managing providers and maintaining quality under Right to Choose.

  • Chair

    Lucy Clement

  • Dr Kemi Mateola

12:35Lunch, networking and exhibition

13:35Breakout sessions (choice of three)

• Foundations of neighbourhood health – improving the interface between primary and secondary mental health services

  During this session we will showcase those areas where primary and secondary mental health services are working effectively in new ways, including around integrated governance, risk sharing arrangements, improving data flows, and MDT working, while also exploring key barriers to improvements.

  • Dr Christopher Hilton

• Beyond labels: transforming support for young people with complex emotional needs

  The session will highlight the importance of supporting young people with complex needs and share examples of services and interventions  used to support them and their families. It will discuss a set of key principles that need to be considered when commissioning or delivering services for this group of young people.

  • Chair

    Prof Pratibha Chitsabesan

  • Dr Katie Nichol

• Truly understanding the needs of your community: data-informed commissioning for population health

  Data collection and analysis in mental health has historically fallen short of what is needed to meaningfully inform services; this picture is now changing. As our data improves, so does our opportunity to utilise it to commission the right services, at the right times, in the right localities.

  As we move towards a more strategic approach to commissioning, this timely breakout will explore how the mental health sector can collaborate across commissioning and provision and best use data to provide services that meet population needs. 

  • Ian Callaghan

14:30Networking and exhibition

14:55Network director's address and update

• Key updates from Network Leadership

  • Rebecca Gray

15:00Panel discussion

• Future-ready leadership – what skills do leaders need to implement the 10 Year Health Plan?

  With the move towards more joined-up neighbourhood provision and Advanced Foundation Trusts, Integrated Health Organisations on the horizon, the operating model for the NHS is evolving at pace. This session will explore what leadership skills are needed to deliver on the promise of more integrated care for patients and communities on this journey, to break down existing barriers and ensure the new models work for patients.

  Session aims:

  • A wider understanding of the expected changes to the provider model over the next five years.
  • To hear from leaders who are at the forefront of the evolution of providers, and how they are approaching, embracing and driving new models of provision.
  • Learnings that leaders can take away to help them facilitate change in their systems. 

  • Angela Hillary

16:00Plenary

• Keynote address: Dr Penny Dash

  • Chair

    Lord Victor Adebowale

  • Dr Penny Dash

16:25Closing reflections