Community impact highlights from our Mental Health Project Manager
As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re proud to spotlight some of the work of our Voicing Views – Mental Health Project Manager (PM), who has been at the forefront of tackling inequality and improving access to inclusive care across our community.
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Parents through Perinatal challenges
In partnership with Queer Wandsworth, our PM was involved in an initiative to explore the perinatal mental health experiences of LGBTQIA+ parents. The engagement revealed a number of barriers and emotional challenges:
- Emotional instability & stigma: many felt ashamed or dismissed during pregnancy and early parenthood.
- Exclusion from services: barriers to accessing care, especially for trans individuals were reported, driven by binary-centric systems and staff misunderstandings.
- Non-inclusive language: phrases like “Mother-baby unit” led to feelings of invisibility.
- Lack of staff training: Gaps in knowledge created miscommunication and clinical risk.
- Loss of identity & belonging: many struggled to find support networks that recognised their lived experiences.
- Value of inclusive support: peer-led and identity-affirming spaces were seen as vital.
These preliminary insights will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of LGBTQIA+ perinatal mental health needs and more inclusive service planning. These findings are due to be formally published in the Transgender journal of health in late 2025.
Improving cancer outcomes in underserved communities
Working alongside Macmillan Cancer Support and RM Partners, the PM participated in focus groups and strategic forums to explore mental health and wellbeing across cancer care pathways, especially for ethnically diverse and low-income communities.
Key themes identified:
- Better information access: patients need clearer, culturally relevant information.
- Emotional & peer support: gaps in counselling, especially in minority groups, are significant.
- Improved communication: medical language can feel overwhelming without advocacy or explanation.
- Digital & financial exclusion: practical support must go beyond medical care.
- Encouraging early screening: tackling fear, stigma, and low awareness is crucial.
- Aftercare & recovery: survivors need stronger post-treatment pathways, especially to return to work.
- Palliative care understanding: Cultural stigma often delays support at the end-of-life stage.
The PM’s continued involvement in the RM Partners People & Communities Strategic Forum ensures that mental health remains a core part of cancer service planning.
Bridging gaps through data & community
As part of ongoing collaboration with RM Partners, the following priorities have emerged:
- Data-led deprivation mapping to identify hidden inequalities.
- Accessible digital services for both primary and secondary care.
- Community outreach to design services with the people who need them most.
- Culturally sensitive engagement to reduce stigma and improve service trust.
Looking ahead
The Mental Health Project Manager continues to serve as a connector between the community and system-level health initiatives.
By centring marginalised voices, addressing stigma, and championing early intervention, Voicing Views are shaping a future where mental health support is inclusive, accessible, and equitable for all.
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Week, these community insights underscore the importance of inclusive strategies and sustained engagement to reduce mental health inequalities and improve population wellbeing.