We were delighted to play a key role at NHS Confed Expo 2025, one of the UK's leading healthcare conferences.

Over the past few days, colleagues from our Executive, Leadership and Communications teams participated as both exhibitors and speakers, proudly showcasing our work as a leading provider of mental health services.

Alongside our exhibition stand, we were proud to lead a session titled 'Co-located mental health crisis havens: the next steps in crisis alternatives', hosted by our Director of Development, Sarah Wileman. A special thank you to Jacqui Davis from NHS Kent and Medway, who generously joined the session to share her experiences and insights.

We also attended a range of thought-provoking sessions on the future of mental health care. One highlight was a main stage session on 'Mental health: Making a difference in the community'. During this, Clare Murdoch, NHS England's National Mental Health Director, reflected on the evolution of mental health services over the decades, including NHS Talking Therapies and employment services, and the growing challenges faced by young people in an increasingly connected and complex world. Looking ahead, Clare spoke about the need to strengthen crisis pathways, provide timely discharges from hospital settings, and invest further in services for people with serious mental illness (SMI).

We were inspired by Salma Yasmeen, CEO of the Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, who shared insights into 24/7 national community hubs pilots that are working with local communities to develop trusted and responsive services.

We were especially keen to explore the role of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector in delivering mental health support. We posed a question to the panel and were pleased to hear Crishni Waring, Chair of Hertfordshire and Worcestershire ICB, call for longer-term contracts for VCSE organisations to ensure the sustainability of the sector. It was heartening to hear Clare Murdoch affirm that the NHS simply "can't do what we do" without the support of the VCSE sector.

A proud moment came on day two, when Adrian James, NHS England's National Medical Director for Mental Health and Neurodiversity, referenced our "excellent session" on co-located crisis services during his session on Mental Health Act reforms.

Events like the NHS Confed Expo provide a valuable opportunity to showcase the work of the voluntary sector and the lifechanging support we can provide. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with inspiring people, stay abreast of changes within the sector, and explore the role we can play in the future of mental health support.