Mental Health and Health Inequalities Conference
In May 2026 we held Mental Health and Health Inequalities Conference. More than 200 mental health leaders, clinicians, community organisations, and people with lived experience of mental ill health gathered at Everyday Church in Wimbledon for the annual South West London Mental Health and Health Inequalities Conference.
Held following Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, under the theme ‘From Commitment to Action: Reducing Mental Health Inequalities in south west London’, the conference focused on tackling health inequalities in access, experience and outcomes across the mental health system.
Hosted by NHS South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG), the event brought together patients, carers and partners, from across health, local government and the voluntary sector for a full day of discussion, collaboration and shared learning. Sessions explored some of the most pressing challenges facing the system today, including racial inequities, barriers for Deaf people and people with learning disabilities, and the wider determinants of mental health such as housing and poverty.
A day of collaboration and action
Attendees took part in a wide range of breakout sessions across three themed blocks, reflecting the conference’s focus on understanding inequalities, sharing what works, and designing future solutions.
Sessions explored:
- Racial inequality in mental health, including disparities in detention, access and experience of care
- Barriers faced by Deaf people and people with learning disabilities in accessing equitable support
- The role of peer support, Recovery Cafés and community organisations in preventing crisis
- The importance of building trust in reducing barriers to access
- Building a culturally capable workforce and embedding anti-racist practice
- Addressing the physical health gap for people with serious mental illness
- Tackling wider determinants such as housing, poverty and social exclusion
Rich discussions in workshops prompted more than 30 pieces of feedback, which will now support the development of the Trust’s Health Inequalities Strategic Plan, and be seen and discussed by the Trust’s Health Inequalities Advisory Panel. Outputs will also be shared with the South West London Partnership Delivery Group which shapes the delivery of mental healthcare across South West London.
This feedback included important points on:
- Racial inequality – we must confront the stark disproportionality in use of the Mental Health Act, challenge systemic bias across services, and rebuild trust with communities to reduce coercive and restrictive interventions.
- Physical health – we must recognise the deep connection between physical and mental health, and address the barriers people with mental ill health face in accessing physical healthcare, which too often leads to trauma, distress and disengagement from services.
- Inpatient recovery – services need to work together far more effectively, with clearer communication and joined-up pathways, so patients understand their recovery journey and know what support is available at every stage.
- Community hubs – trust is built through empathy, kindness and genuine human connection. People are more likely to seek support when they feel seen, heard and welcomed in safe, non-judgemental spaces within their communities.
- Deaf health inequality – Deaf service users must be involved in shaping services from the outset, not as an afterthought, and services must be genuinely accessible, inclusive and responsive to their communication needs.
- Learning disability and mental health equity – we must recognise and respect individual needs and experiences, and commit to ongoing, meaningful conversations that place people at the centre of their care and support.
The programme also highlighted innovative local initiatives, including community hubs, neighbourhood working models, and services supporting children, young people and families.
The day concluded with a final discussion focused on accountability and next steps, bringing together senior leaders, partners and lived experience voices to reflect on how the system can move from commitment to sustained action.