Advancing Mental Health Equity (AMHE) Learning Community 

The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) are delighted to launch the Advancing Mental Health Equity (AMHE) Learning Community.

The AMHE Learning Community is a national movement to advance mental health equity through shared learning and collaboration. It provides a free, open space for practitioners, organisations and people with lived experience to share learning, test practical approaches and co‑produce solutions that improve equity in access, experience and outcomes.

The learning community will be facilitated by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health and will provide a more sustainable way to continue sharing learning, experience and approaches across organisations, sectors and communities.

Our ambition is to build a connected national community where people can learn from one another, share practice, explore challenges and work together to improve mental health equity, with members helping to shape the community over time. If you are interested in sharing your work or discussing any particular topics, email AMHE@rcpsych.ac.uk or complete our short form with your details.

What do we mean by mental health equity?

Mental health equity means recognising that people have different experiences, needs and circumstances, and that these differences can affect how they access services, experience care and achieve outcomes.

Equity is not about treating everyone the same. It is about understanding where inequities exist and working alongside communities to address them, so that everyone has a fair opportunity to access high-quality, compassionate and effective mental health support.

Improving equity requires organisations, services and communities to learn from people's experiences, understand barriers to care and work together to make meaningful improvements.

Who can join the learning community?

Everyone is warmly invited to join us, whether you are leading an established programme, supporting local improvement or are simply interested in mental health equity.

This includes:

• people with lived experience, carers and families
• community and voluntary sector organisations
• NHS providers
• clinicians and frontline staff
• quality improvement, participation, and involvement teams
• local authority
• equality, diversity, and inclusion leads
• PCREF leads
• leaders and decision-makers
• others with relevant experience and expertise.

Our commitment to lived‑experience leadership

The Learning Community is built on co‑production and lived‑experience leadership. People with lived experience bring essential insight and expertise that should be valued equally to professional knowledge. We encourage organisations to budget and support meaningful participation. See our culture of care guidance for more information

What to expect when you join the Learning Community

• Share practical learning: short presentations of projects and innovations from across the UK.
• Peer learning: facilitated discussion and problem‑solving in small groups.
• Co‑production: lived‑experience contributors co‑design sessions and outputs.

Session format

• Frequency: bi‑monthly online sessions.
• Length: 1.5 hours.
• Design: interactive, inclusive and action‑focused.

AMHE Learning Community Launch Event

The launch event will be held virtually on Wednesday 7 October, 10-12. Join peers from across sectors to hear practical examples, shape priorities and help set the Community’s first year of activity.

To register for the learning community and be invited to our launch event, please complete this online registration form.

Why attend?

• Hear real examples of equity‑focused work.
• Influence the Community’s learning themes and priorities.
• Meet potential partners and lived‑experience leaders.