Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF)
The Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is a pivotal recommendation from the 2018 independent review of the Mental Health Act. As NHS England's pioneering anti-racism framework, PCREF empowers Trusts to enhance services for individuals from diverse ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.
The PCREF’s approach focuses on race and ethnicity, but it also considers the intersectionality of patients and carers. This includes the Equality Act nine protected characteristics, lifestyles, neurodiversity and special educational needs.
The PCREF is split into three core components:
Part 1: Legislative and regulatory obligations (Leadership and Governance)
Part 2: National Organisational Competencies
Part 3: The Patient and Carers Feedback Mechanism
The PCREF applies across all mental health pathways at our Trust, including older adults (65+), adults (18-64), and children and young people (0-25). Our Trust data shows that, while there have been positive improvements in access and experience in some areas over recent years, largely due to our ongoing QI initiatives, patients from Black, Asian, and other ethnically minoritised communities continue to face the poorest Access, Experience, and Outcomes within our mental health services.