CSG SEMHIS Conference Unites Mental Health Leaders | News
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CSG SEMHIS Conference Unites Mental Health Leaders
The Cavendish Square Group (CSG) hosted its highly anticipated SEMHIS Conference at ISH Venues on 17 June 2025, bringing together mental health professionals, lived experience partners, and system leaders from across London to explore innovative approaches to safety and equality within inpatient mental health care.
Under the theme “Connect. Collaborate. Transform.”, the full-day event featured a dynamic programme of keynote addresses, interactive workshops, and collaborative sessions focused on trauma-informed approaches, authentic co-production, compassionate leadership, and tackling inequalities in mental health services.
The conference opened with a powerful welcome from Amanda Pithouse (Chief Nursing Officer, CNWL), Naidoo Armoordon (SEMHIS Programme Lead, Oxleas), and Wellington Makala (Chief Nurse, NELFT), who set the vision for SEMHIS Phase 2 and the future of safer, more equitable inpatient care.
Highlights from the day included:
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A reflective overview of the journey from SiMHS to SEMHIS by Sarah Rae, SEMHIS Project PPI Advisor.
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A deep dive into trauma-informed approaches led by Estelle Moore and Julie Redmond of the Pan-London TIA Community of Practice.
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A hands-on session on embedding co-production, using the Lived Experience-centred Success Standards, led by the Meta Project team: Gemma Evans, Debora Mo, and Jane Carthey.
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A compelling panel on addressing inequalities through the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF), with insights from Tafadzwa Marapara, Erica Deti, Anthony Emeka Madu, and Kevin Cann.
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A moving performance of "Closing the Morning: A Poem to Lead Us into Lunch" by Blod Jones, Wordsmith, Poet, and member of the SEMHIS Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG).
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The unveiling of the co-produced Enhanced Care Model (TESO), showcasing a radical shift from observation to therapeutic engagement.
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An interactive workshop on compassionate leadership and co-creating safer care, led by leadership workstream consultant Jane Carthey, with powerful insights from Sarah Rae and Anthony Emeka Madu.
The day concluded with a collective commitment to action, as attendees shared pledges to carry forward the insights and momentum from the day into their local Trusts.
Amanda Pithouse, Chief Nurse Officer from CNWL, said:
This conference was a celebration of collaboration and a call to action. Together, we are shaping a future where inpatient mental health care is safer, more inclusive, and truly co-produced.
Naidoo Armoordon, SEMHIS Programme Lead added:
The energy in the room was electric. This conference wasn't just about sharing ideas; it was about shifting power. We brought together staff and experts with lived experience as equal partners, and the message was clear: if you want to understand how a shoe fits, you must ask the person wearing it. That principle is the engine for Phase 2 as we move from collaboration to concrete transformation in our services.
Click here to hear the conference feedback.
