Cavendish Square Group summer conference | News

On Tuesday 9 June, we held our summer Cavendish Square Group (CSG) conference at Prospero House, London. The conference, which was attended by over 100 professionals, focused on the future of mental health services, the NHS Long Term Plan Commitments and the CSG priorities for the next few years.

The day began with a warm welcome from CSG Chair, David Bradley, followed by insightful sessions from Claire Murdoch, National Mental Health Director at NHS England, and Liz Durrant, Deputy Director of Quality Transformation at NHS England. The attendees engaged in a lively Q&A panel, discussing delivery against the Mental Health NHS Long Term Plan Commitments.

Dr. Roberto Mezzina, Chair of the International Mental Health Collaborating Network, shared valuable lessons from Trieste, Italy, on developing comprehensive, integrated, and accessible 24/7 community services. Local case studies presented by Bobby Pratap and Dr. Sheraz Ahmad highlighted community transformation and the end of the use of locked rehab in East-London and North-East London NHS Foundation Trusts.

Reflecting on the conference, David Bradley, said:

This year's summer conference was a remarkable gathering of minds committed to the advancement of mental health services. The discussions and insights shared have not only deepened our understanding, but also provided the opportunity for the leaders to come together to learn, share knowledge, and inspire one another. I am immensely proud of the collaborative spirit demonstrated by all attendees and look forward to the positive changes that will stem from our collective efforts.

The afternoon sessions included a focus on Safety and Equality in Mental Health Settings, led by Naidoo Armoordon, and discussions on addressing inequalities and therapeutic engagement. The conference concluded with a workshop on CSG priorities and working with stakeholders and the newly elected government, followed by closing remarks from David Bradley.

Thank you to all who came to the conference, and we are looking forward to continuing the conversation on mental health transformation at our next conference.