A local NHS trust has been shortlisted for a national award after a staff-led programme, first piloted in Salford, helped tackle racism and improve safety on mental health wards.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has been shortlisted for a national HSJ Patient Safety Award after a scheme first trialled at Salford Royal Hospital saw more staff receive support after incidents and a fall in repeat reports of racist behaviour.
The trust has been shortlisted in the ‘Developing a Positive Safety Culture Award’ category for its Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) programme, a staff-led initiative working to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all patients, staff, families, and visitors.
The scheme was launched in April 2024 at Salford Royal’s Meadowbrook Unit before being rolled out across the region following its success.
At the Meadowbrook Unit, there has been a 32% increase in staff receiving follow-up support after reporting an incident since the scheme was introduced, a GMMH spokesperson said.
From May 2025 to April 2026, the Meadowbrook NHS Unit issued 33 sanction letters, with 88% of recipients going on to have no further reports of racially aggravated incidents recorded.
These positive results have earned the trust on the place on the shortlist at the award ceremony recognising the critical work being done to deliver safe, high-quality care in increasingly complex and challenging environments, while fostering cultures of openness, learning and collaboration.
Loveness Ncube, Quality Matron at GMMH and lead of the adoption of REACH at North View, said: “It is an honour to be shortlisted for the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2026. Through the REACH programme, we are cultivating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all.
“By listening to those with lived experience, learning from the collective expertise of our peers, and being clear on the role that every one of us has to play, we have begun to enact real and meaningful change.
“Our trauma-informed, restorative approach has been vital to this success. Staff have fed back increased confidence in raising concerns and managing challenging situations effectively. This has led to calmer ward environments, more therapeutic engagement and, ultimately, improved outcomes for patients.”
Alison Schofield, Quality Improvement Lead at GMMH, said: “REACH is building an anti-racist community across Greater Manchester, who act because it’s the right thing to do. We’re creating a safe space for everyone, and our commitment to learning from each other fuels our efforts to bring about positive change.
“As our community grows, so rapidly does our combined set of insights, tools and successful strategies that can be replicated and adapted to meet the unique needs of mental health services and the local communities they serve.
“This would not be possible without the dedication of our front-line teams, and I am delighted that their efforts have been recognised by the prestigious HSJ Patient Safety Awards.”
