Minds Matter staff network relaunches on World Mental Health Day

Minds Matter, CNWL’s network dedicated to staff’s mental health and those living with mental health challenges, will relaunch on World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2024.

Formerly known as the Lived Experience of Mental Issues Stigma and Transformation (LEMHIST) network, the network intended to create a community of staff who identified as experiencing mental health challenges. It also aimed to reduce and campaign against the enduring stigma attached to living with mental health difficulties. LEMHIST was previously more focused on anti-stigma work and over time it was hard to engage a large enough community to grow organically.

The current co-chairs, Dr Nick Prior, Psychiatrist, and Fran Lepori, Head of the Lived Experience Workforce, sought to learn more about what people wanted from the network and found that most responses highlighted a need for the group to be more inclusive and more accessible. 

Nick, who has co-chaired the network since LEMHIST’s inception, said, “We were channelling too much of our energy into awareness and anti-stigma work without a strong enough committee or community in place to be able to follow through on our goals. We realised that something needed to change – and that was the need to focus on community.”

Fran began co-chairing the network in January 2024 on moving into the role as Head of the Lived Experience Workforce in CNWL. “I knew about LEMHIST, but didn't feel it was getting the reach it should have been, given that membership numbers were small. 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health at some point in their lifetime, so I knew the membership wasn't representative of the number of staff that could benefit from this network.”

From Fran’s perspective through her extensive background in lived experience work, it was clear there was a demand for a network like Minds Matter in the workplace. “Colleagues that aren’t part of the lived experience workforce have approached me about support with their mental health at work, and managers who need help supporting their team with their mental health have also – so clearly, there is a need.”

One of the key objectives for Minds Matter is to foster a community where conversations about mental health can be held freely, without judgement. “We want to help people feel comfortable to talk about their mental health struggles without feeling vulnerable or exposed.”

Nick added, “Mental health is something that everyone has, whether they've struggled with it directly or indirectly. Staff members that don't necessarily have a diagnosis can join - it will be open to anybody who believes that looking after the mind matters.”

The transformation from LEMHIST to Minds Matter came about from a bout of creative thinking, with staff across the Trust having the final say in a vote. Nick explained, “The name is a play on words: we're saying minds matter at CNWL, and as an organisation we're making an investment into the network as we recognise the importance of mental health for the individual and the organisation as a whole.”

“Additionally, the name has more of a sense of action and purpose to it. A few years ago, there was a campaign called ‘Every Minds Matter’. So that’s what prompted the name,” Nick added.

The goal for Minds Matter is to be a group or network where anyone, whether they have a diagnosed mental health condition or not, can join and engage with one another. “We want the network to be visible and accessible, so that people who join the Trust can also join the network if they need support with their mental health or want to support others,” Fran said.

“We want to have a thriving community where lots of staff members are engaging with Minds Matter on a monthly basis in a meaningful way. We also want to support those who aren’t working in lived experience roles to be able to talk more openly” Nick said.

Minds Matter will also challenge perceptions of mental health being a taboo topic to talk about in the workplace. Reflecting on his experience as a psychiatrist, Nick said, “It’s still an issue to talk about these things openly in the workplace. Consultants older than me feel like we shouldn’t be talking about these things because it shows weakness. We want to challenge that perception.”

The Minds Matter staff network will relaunch on 10 October 2024 at CNWL Trust HQ. All staff are welcome and encouraged to come along and find out more about what the network can do for them.