Working together for the wellbeing of West Sussex

West Sussex Mind is delighted to join BHT Sussex in its recent award by NHS Sussex for the five-year West Sussex Mental Health Support Services contract. BHT Sussex is the lead provider for the service with West Sussex Mind as the main sub-contractor and the two organisations will work in partnership to deliver the service and bring high-quality mental health support to the communities of West Sussex.

The two charities worked closely together to create their bid, drawing on their deep knowledge of the mental health needs of the communities they serve. They have a strong history of partnership working over the last ten years, where they were lead partners in the Pathfinder West Sussex alliance, which brings together NHS and voluntary partners to provide joined-up mental health support to individuals, families and carers across the county. This new contract replaces the Pathfinder West Sussex alliance.

Co-production and widening access

West Sussex Mind and BHT Sussex have detailed local knowledge about the mental health needs of their communities and share a dedication to co-producing services with people with lived experience of mental health and peer-led mental health support. Together they are committed to an inclusive and accessible model for mental health support that is driven by the needs of West Sussex residents.

The new service will not only be co-produced in partnership with people who use mental health services, their family and carers, but will also improve access to community mental health support as well as improving physical health care for people with severe mental illness.

West Sussex Mind and BHT Sussex will bring new partners from the homelessness sector into the county-wide alliance and widen access to coordinated community mental health services for people in West Sussex.

Championing the voice of lived experience

Kerrin Page, CEO of West Sussex Mind, said: “We are delighted that BHT Sussex has been appointed as lead partner for West Sussex Mental Health Support Services and to join forces with them to deliver the service, building on our strong community links. The voice of lived experience is central to how we design and deliver our services at West Sussex Mind and this was a key part of our joint bid. We will continue to build on this ethos with the new contract and work closely with all our partners to improve the mental health and wellbeing of communities across West Sussex.”

Rachael Kenny, director of mental health and support services at BHT Sussex, said: “We are really pleased to have been successful in our bid to be lead provider for mental health support services in West Sussex. Voices of lived experience were at the heart of our bid and will be woven through service design and delivery. We will continue to work with our partners on the introduction of Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams and to champion the value of local services which support people to recover their mental health and wellbeing.”

West Sussex Mind and BHT Sussex will continue to work collaboratively with other delivery partners, including Southdown, Crawley Open House, Turning Tides and Stonepillow, and look forward to strengthening these partnerships as we develop the service together.