NHS England
Culture of Care Programme
We are delighted to be a delivery partner for NHS England's Culture of Care Programme.
We will be working alongside Black Thrive Global and the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) to support lead delivery partner the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH).
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The Culture of Care Programme is part of NHS England's Quality Transformation Programme and launched in January 2024, with the scope of:
Coaching 200 inpatient wards and around 60 corporate teams across England to improve the culture of the care that they provide, in both NHS and private settings, supporting them to work to the NHS England Culture of Care standards.
Providing executive coaching and reverse mentoring to Boards in all of those organisations.
Supporting them to move away from risk-assessment tools to a holistic approach to safety on wards.
Doing all of the above through a trauma-informed, autism-informed and racial equity perspective.
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Neurodiverse Connection will be supporting lived experience in the programme governance.
Our Lived Experience Advisors will be working with Quality Improvement Coaches and Senior Leaders to support change in mental health trusts across England.
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Building on the work of the 2022 Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme, the Culture of Care Programme is a bold, new vision for care within mental health, learning disability and Autism inpatient settings. The Programme, through the implementation of 12 core standards, aims to promote a shift in culture within inpatient settings. These core standards work to move away from risk assessment approaches towards patient safety and instead lead to a holistic approach.
The Culture of Care Programme aims to support 200 mental health, learning disability and Autism inpatient ward and 60 corporate teams across England. The Programme supports both the NHS and private sector to develop their practices and culture in line with the Culture of Care standards.
Underpinning the whole project is the drive for work undertaken in mental health, learning disability and Autism inpatient settings to embrace the Culture of Care standards and for care and support to be given from a trauma informed, Autism-informed and racial-equity perspective. The Culture of Care Programme places co-production, peer support and lived experience at the very centre of a holistic, supportive, compassionate and person-focused model of care.
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Neurodiverse Connection contributes to the lived experience perspective on the Culture of Care programme. Our team were involved in writing the standards and now support the governance and oversight and work with the delivery team to provide insights and constructive challenge on Autism informed care.
What is Autism-informed care?
In the most all-encompassing definition of the term, Autism-informed care understands, accepts and accommodates the differences in social interaction, communication, support needs, sensory profiles and cognitive styles experienced by Autistic people. Autism-informed care promotes an environment of dignity, respect and support for all Autistic people. The precise definition and recommendations around Autism-informed care are still being defined and developed.
There is little information about the services and supports that are most likely to facilitate flourishing adult autistic lives[1]. Although the idea of autism informed approaches is still emerging and yet to be defined in literature, we suggest that it:
centres on autistic experience, rather than on neurotypical norms and perceptions.
is neurodivergent affirming and identifies strengths and capabilities as well as challenges.
identifies aspects that are significant to autistic people and considers how challenges can be mitigated and how needs can be met.
[1] Pellicano, E., Fatima, U., Hall, G. et al. A capabilities approach to understanding and supporting autistic adulthood. Nat Rev Psychol1, 624–639 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00099-z
Culture of Care
Core Standards
Twelve core standards have been developed as part of the Culture of Care Programme. Find out more details about each of them below.
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Lived experience
We value lived experience, including in paid roles, at all levels – design, delivery, governance and oversight.
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Safety
People on our wards feel safe and cared for.
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Relationships
High-quality, rights-based care starts with trusting relationships and the understanding that connecting with people is how we help everyone feel safe.
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Staff support
We support all staff so that they can be present alongside people in their distress.
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Equality
We are inclusive and value difference; we take action to promote equity in access, treatment and outcomes.
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Avoiding harm
We actively seek to avoid harm and traumatisation, and acknowledge harm when it occurs.
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Needs led
We respect people’s own understanding of their distress.
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Choice
Nothing about me without me—we support the fundamental right for patients and (as appropriate) their support network to be engaged in all aspects of their care.
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Environment
Our inpatient spaces reflect the value we place on our people
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Things to do
We have a wide range of patient requested activities every day.
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Therapeutic support
We offer people a range of therapy and support that gives them hope things can get better.
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Transparency
We have open and honest conversations with patients and each other, and name the difficult things.
Meet our team
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Jill Corbyn
Founder & Director
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Molly Anderton
Lived Experience Advisor (Culture of Care Programme) and Development Lead
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Antonia Aluko
Lived Experience Advisor
(Culture of Care Programme) -
Lucy Gilbert
Lived Experience Advisor
(Culture of Care programme)