The East London's Rough Sleeping Adults Mental Health Project (RAMHP), the Tower Hamlets Mental Health Liaison and Psychological Medicine's High Intensity Users Team (HIUT) and Bedfordshire & Luton's CAMHS based project for sexual orientation and gender equality each won a Highly Commended accolade at yesterday's Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards 2022 ceremony which took place in Durham.
The RAMHP team work to improve the mental health of people who sleep rough and work directly with local Street Outreach Teams (SORT) to improve their mental health awareness and response.
The Tower Hamlets based HIUT team are a multi-agency team with specialist clinicans drawn from both ELFT and St Barts Royal London Hospital. They work alongside Barts Health, GPs, Local authority, 3rd sector organisations and ELFT services to improve multi-agency working for people using emergency services frequently and who are at risk of falling in the gaps between services. The team advocates and supports people with multiple unmet need whether it is physical, psychological, social or for mental health.
Both RAMHP and the HIUT team won the Highly Commended accolade from the judges for the award categories: Improving Inequalities in Mental Health and for Specialist Services.
Above: Representatives from the HIUT Team, part of Tower Hamlets Mental Health Liaison and Psychological Medicine
The Bedfordshire & Luton CAMHS team were finalists for the category 'Addressing Inequalities in Mental Health' for their work to improve gender and sexual orientation equality.
On receiving the PPiMH Commendations, RAMHP Nurse Consultant Rikke Albert, part of Tower Hamlets Mental Health Liaison and Psychological Medicine service said:
"It is a great honour to be recognised by the PPiMH judges with a commendation for the work we do.
"Homeless people experience substantially poorer physical and mental health than the general population.
"And the colleagues I work alongside are resilient and dedicated to making life better for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
"As we enter what looks to be a most challenging winter for everyone, but most of all those living on the streets, being recognised in this way will remind everyone in the team that what they do really matters and makes a difference."
On receiving a Highly Commended recommendation from the PPiMH judges, Jay Worthington, Suicide Prevention, Digital Participation Lead and Participation Support worker said:
"This was a project designed, created and delivered by young people themselves - queer ran and designed and has had a massive impact.
"We all look forward to going further and developing this work into 2023 and beyond."
Find out more about Positive Practice in Mental Health and the 2022 PPiMH Awards here.