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QNFMHS events and training
QNFMHS standards revision: eConsultation and consultation event
The Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) is revising its current set of quality standards. This will be the first opportunity for members to provide feedback on the standards since their publication in April 2025.
You can find the standards on our website.
Part 1: Online survey
The first part of the consultation was an online survey, which invited members to provide feedback on the different sections of the standards. The survey closed on 30 October 2026. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. Responses will help inform the next stage of the standards revision process.
Part 2: Online consultation event
The second part of the consultation will be an online meeting via Microsoft Teams.
The event will provide an opportunity to:
- hear an overview of the feedback received through the online survey
- discuss the proposed changes to the standards
- provide further feedback and suggestions.
Date: Wednesday 20 January 2027
Time: 9.30am–4pm
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
Register for the QNFMHS Standards Revision consultation event
If you have any questions about the consultation, please contact forensics@rcpsych.ac.uk.
CPD training
Healthcare Conferences UK are pleased to offer QNFMHS members a 20% discount off their mental health conferences and masterclasses.
For more information please visit the conference website.
20% discount with code: HCUK20rqnfmh
Reviewer training is a free event for staff from a service that is a member of the Quality Network. The training is a great learning experience for those who are interested in participating in the new virtual peer reviews of medium and low secure forensic mental health services.
We strongly encourage individuals organising and reviewing other services to attend this condensed training, which will cover the new process of virtual reviews.
Learning objectives
The training will give potential reviewers the opportunity to gain practical knowledge about how to conduct a peer review visit virtually. The online training session will involve a presentation and discussion to develop the skills of a reviewer.
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- describe the Quality Network’s overall peer review process
- deliver the role and responsibilities of a peer reviewer before, during and after the peer review
- troubleshoot and manage complaints and other difficulties that may arise during a peer review
- describe and promote the ethos of the Quality Network’s peer reviews
- understand how to effectively carry out and participate in a virtual peer review.
You can find the upcoming dates and book your place using this online form.
If you have any questions about QNFMHS reviewer training, please contact us at forensics@rcpsych.ac.uk.
Accreditation Training
The Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) is offering accreditation training to support member services that are interested in joining the Accreditation (AC) membership or are preparing for an upcoming accreditation review.
The session will explore the accreditation process, what to expect, and the key requirements for services working towards accreditation. It will also provide practical tips and advice from services that have already achieved accreditation, offering an opportunity to learn from their experiences.
The training is suitable for:
Services interested in finding out more about AC membership and considering signing up. Please note, accreditation reviews are done on a ward level.
Services already part of the AC membership with a review coming up in 2027.
Whether you are considering accreditation for the first time or preparing for your next review, this session will provide helpful guidance and an opportunity to ask questions and learn from others.
You can find the upcoming dates and book your place using this online form.
If you have any questions, please contact us at forensics@rcpsych.ac.uk.
The Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) Staff Cultures Webinar took place on 12 February 2025.
Download the presentation slides.
You can watch a recording of the webinar below:
Overview of the Webinar
The Quality Network's recent experiences with peer-reviews have highlighted closed cultures as an ongoing challenge for our member services. The webinar aimed to provide a space for professionals working within forensic mental health services to come together, discuss these challenges, and explore strategies for addressing closed cultures.
The webinar is chaired by Dr Jude Deacon, Chair of the QNFMHS Advisory Group, and Director of Forensic Mental Health, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
It includes the following speakers:
The first speaker is Dr Charles King, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist from the Thames Valley Forensic Mental Health service, who presents on the use of 'Psychologically Informed Organisational Consultancy for Forensic Mental Health Services'.
The second speaker is Sarah Cooper, Principal Forensic Psychologist from the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust who presents on the use of ‘Restorative Practices in Forensic Mental Health Services’.
The final speakers are Beth Potin - Service User Engagement Lead, and Caroline Taylor and Tania Charles - Peer Support Workers, from the North London Forensic Lived Experience and Engagement team. They provide valuable insights on ‘Creating a Positive Work Culture through Peer Support’.
If you would like to access presentations from our past events such as online webinars and annual forums, you can find these on our group page on Knowledge Hub under the 'library' tab.
To join Knowledge Hub, email 'join' to forensics@rcpsych.ac.uk.
Our Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) team created a series of webinars for the CCQI during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The QNFMHS Carer Engagement Lead Forum is a space for those who lead on carer engagement in QNFMHS member services to share ideas, best practice, and the opportunity to network with carer leads from other services.
These meetings take place quarterly and are hosted on MS Teams.
To register your interest in participating, or if you have any questions, please contact forensics@rcpsych.ac.uk