Advancing equity in mental health: The Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework

NHS England’s launch of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) last autumn marks a pivotal step in addressing racial disparities in mental health care. Mandating its implementation by March 2025 for all mental health trusts underscores a commitment to fostering anti-racism practices, now integral to the CQC inspection process

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on NHS England

One of the key developments, announced in March, has been the inclusion of a new clause in the NHS Standard Contract to state that implementing the PCREF is a mandatory requirement for providers of mental health services. Trusts and mental health providers are expected to have a nominated lead at board level to drive forward and embed a local PCREF plan which encompasses the three core components (leadership and governance, organisational competencies, and patient and carers feedback mechanism).

Community engagement and regulatory guidance

As well as this, the development, implementation, and review of local PCREF plans must be done in equal partnership with racialised and ethnically and culturally diverse communities. This of course will be taken into account by CQC as part of the assessment process, to make sure providers are implementing the framework in their services. As discussed in a recent blog on PCREF, it is vital that PCREF sits firmly within the single assessment framework.

CQC have produced initial guidance and learning for regulatory colleagues and are in the process of developing full guidance on PCREF which will hopefully be published later this year. This will detail how they will assess how providers are implementing the framework. In the meantime, they continue to encourage and support services to embed the approach through regulatory activity.

Pioneering pilot trusts

Through rigorous testing with pilot trusts, including recent additions Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, PCREF’s efficacy becomes increasingly evident. These trusts exemplify the transformative potential of community collaboration, a cornerstone of PCREF’s implementation journey.

For practice managers, understanding and implementing the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is crucial for fostering inclusive and culturally competent mental health services. Embracing PCREF’s principles ensures that practices align with regulatory requirements and proactively address racial disparities in care delivery.