2025 Shortlisted nominee
DIVERSITY TEAMS AWARD
The Racial, Ethnic and Cultural Heritage (REACH) project is led by four NHS clinical psychologists determined to improve access to perinatal mental health care for women from minoritised backgrounds. Families from ethnic minority communities face disproportionate risks during the perinatal period, yet historically access to specialist services has been low. REACH tackled this by embedding culturally sensitive practices, training staff to have confident, open conversations about race and ethnicity, and creating data-driven insights to inform local action. Outcomes include a significant rise in ethnicity data recording, doubling referrals and acceptances of Asian and mixed-race women, and increased confidence among staff in addressing race. Resources like the Opening Up Conversations About Race, Ethnicity and Difference booklet and national presentations have amplified impact, with the model now shaping NHS and academic initiatives across the UK.
