Trauma support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic NHS staff who have experienced violence and abuse
South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust’s charity has been successful in bidding for over £220,000 to deliver a new programme of culturally sensitive, trauma‑informed psychological support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic NHS staff.
The programme will respond to clear evidence that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff - who make up around 75% of the Trust’s frontline workforce - experience disproportionately high levels of racial abuse, harassment and violence.
The funding has been awarded to the Trust’s charitable fund through the NHS Charities Together and NHS England Workforce Wellbeing Fund, part of an £11 million national programme supporting NHS staff wellbeing. The Trust is one of 61 organisations across England to receive funding since the programme launched in 2024.
Trust Chief Executive, Vanessa Ford, MBE said:
“We want South West London and St George’s to be a place where everyone feels they belong and is safe to bring their whole selves to work. Our diverse workforce is one of our major strengths, though sadly we know many of our frontline colleagues experience racial discrimination and abuse when they are supporting the communities we serve.”
“We are committed to becoming an actively anti-racist organisation, and by providing culturally sensitive, trauma‑informed support, this new programme will ensure that help is on hand for any of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues who are subject to racial abuse.”
Ian Garlington, Executive Lead for South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust Charitable Fund, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together and NHS England for providing funding for this vital programme.”
“Being actively anti-racist matters because it means we don’t just condemn racism; we work to prevent it, challenge it and support people when it happens. When colleagues feel safe, respected and listened to, they can thrive and that directly strengthens the care we provide in South West London.”
Running from April 2026 to September 2027, the programme will introduce a structured, trauma‑informed response pathway to support staff who experience racially motivated incidents. This will provide early access to psychological support, reduce stigma and improve help‑seeking for staff who may otherwise find it difficult to access support.
The programme will also introduce reflective practice sessions for local NHS mental health teams, creating safe spaces for colleagues to collectively process incidents, build psychological safety and deepen understanding of racial dynamics.
Ellie Orton, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said:
“ Winter flu season may be coming to a close, but with huge pressure on health services continuing to impact those who care for us, it’s vital that NHS staff receive the tools and support needed to look after their own health and wellbeing.
“We’re proud to be supporting NHS charities like South West London and St George Mental Health NHS Trust Charitable Fund with funding that has the potential to make a positive difference to our hardworking NHS staff and reduce the mental and physical toll of working in such a challenging environment.”
A central element of the programme will be the development of a network of trained peer debriefers across the Trust. These staff will be equipped to offer culturally informed peer support, facilitate reflective conversations and embed trauma‑informed approaches into everyday supervision and team practice.
Alongside this, the scheme will develop communications resources and simple post‑incident tools to raise awareness of available support and encourage staff to seek help at an early stage. Learning from the programme will also inform future workforce wellbeing funding and help build sustainable organisational capability to respond effectively to racial trauma, benefiting staff now and in the future.
