GMMH wins international award for anti-racism efforts
Pictured: GMMH staff members involved in the REACH project receiving their certificates at a Trust celebration event following the Mental Health Improvement Network Annual Conference 2025.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has been awarded the prestigious Johnathan MacLennan Award at the international Mental Health Improvement Network Annual Conference 2025, in Utrecht, Netherlands.
The award was given for the Trust’s outstanding Race Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Community of Practice Quality Improvement project.
REACH Community of Practice is a pioneering project dedicated to fostering an anti-racist approach.
Led by GMMH’s Quality Improvement team, REACH aims to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all patients, staff, families, and visitors. By promoting a positive culture and enhancing wellbeing, REACH seeks to bring about lasting change.
The project has seen anti-racism ‘change’ initiatives create a meaningful impact across Greater Manchester. It was praised by judges for its innovative use of Quality Improvement (QI) methodology and tools, combined with a compassionate and impactful approach to mental health care.
REACH began with a thorough survey at the Meadowbrook Unit, a mental health inpatient unit in Salford, which revealed that staff experienced racial abuse daily and that support varied significantly.
This led to the implementation of a new procedure where patients who committed racial abuse received sanction letters from the Local Security Management Specialist (LSMS) and Greater Manchester Police.
This aimed to reiterate the severity of racial abuse as a criminal matter, discourage perpetrators from reoffending, and acknowledge the impact on victims.
Between July and May, 15 sanction letters were issued, with 60% of recipients going on to be involved in no further racially aggravated incidents.
One GMMH staff member said:
“I am very proud to be part of positive changes happening in GMMH. This project hits close to home for me - the experiences I have encountered have made me become an advocate and an ally to my colleagues both in my service and Trust-wide.”
Gemma Burke, Associate Director of Nursing and Quality at GMMH said:
“I want to say a huge thank you to our teams in Salford for their continued commitment towards racial equality. The REACH project has been successful in ensuring that we support the reduction in incidents relating to racism. Education around diversity and inclusion has been key to the success of this project and we are so proud of our teams. It has been a pleasure to celebrate their success.”
Next, the 'Be Inclusive' initiative at North View, a mental health inpatient unit based in North Manchester, saw the introduction of monthly support groups and one-to-one sessions for staff affected by racial abuse.
Weekly ‘reflective practice sessions’ were also set up to help staff reflect and discuss how they could better support one another when it comes to racism.
This initiative emphasised the importance of being an Active Bystander. As part of this work, Active Bystander training is being rolled out trust-wide to ensure everyone understands their responsibility to address hate when they see it happening.
Sylvia Ogbarmey-Tetteh, Staff Nurse at North View, and Be Inclusive Steering Group Member said:
“As ‘shop floor’ staff, our aspiration is to come to work, deliver our best for patients, and do so in an environment free from racial abuse from patients, and free from subtle invalidations from colleagues, managers, and leaders, even when expressed diplomatically. This requires a clear acknowledgment of the issue - already recognised by GMMH.
“Should such incidents occur, we are able to seek prompt access to the REACH resource to support us and address the challenges we face. It is essential that we are all equipped with active bystander skills to effectively support one another in fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace, which REACH is also supporting with.
“We hope that all colleagues and partners are made aware of this resource, and that the REACH project becomes firmly integrated into daily work practices, Trust-wide and beyond.”
The success of the initial stages of REACH, alongside clear plans for next steps, were showcased through a poster presentation and a world café conversation at the international Mental Health Improvement Network Annual Conference 2025.
Alison Schofield, Head of Quality Improvement at GMMH said:
“REACH is building an anti-racist community across Greater Manchester, who act because it's the right thing to do. We're creating a safe space for everyone, and our commitment to learning from each other fuels our efforts to bring about positive change.
“As the REACH Community of Practice continues to grow, new wards and services from across GMMH will join the project, each conducting initial surveys to identify specific issues within their areas before testing change ideas to address them. This collaborative approach ensures that successful strategies can then be replicated and adapted to meet the unique needs of our different services.
“We are honoured to receive such prestigious recognition and remain dedicated to our mission of fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all.”
Deepak Agnihotri, Director of Allied Health Professionals and Chair of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH)’s Anti Racism Steering Group said:
“As a trust we are working to become an anti-racist organisation. We have got some really good pioneering work going across the organisation. One of the examples of great work is our REACH Community of Practice which is a pioneering project dedicated to fostering an anti-racist approach.
“We know we have further work to do, and are building on our strengths as an organisation. We will continue to drive forward our change journey.”
About the Johnathan MacLennan Award
The Johnathan MacLennan Award commemorates the legacy of Johnathan MacLennan, a highly respected co-founder of the MH Improve movement. The award recognises projects that demonstrate excellence in mental health care through innovation, compassion, and impactful contributions.
