Seni Lewis Award
The Seni Lewis Award was created as a lasting legacy in honour of Olaseni ‘Seni’ Lewis, who tragically died in 2010, at Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) after being held in prolonged restraint.
The Seni Lewis Award recognises exceptional work that strengthens co-operation between mental health services and the police, helping to prevent future tragedies and ensure care is delivered with dignity and respect.
This award is a partnership between RCPsych, the Metropolitan Police Service and SLaM.
Who is the award for?
Each year NHS teams and partner organisations across the UK are invited to submit nominations showcasing how their work is improving safety for people in crisis, reducing restrictive practices, and involving patients and carers in shaping services.
2025 Award
Finalists
Three teams/projects were shortlisted for the 2025 Seni Lewis Award:
- From Streets to Safety: Sheffield’s Section 136 Transformation (Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and South Yorkshire Police)
- NHS111 option 2/S.136 police advice line (South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust)
- Tees Crisis Triage and Assessment Hub (Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust)
Winner
The Tees Crisis Triage and Assessment Hub was announced as the winner of the 2025 Seni Lewis Award at an event hosted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists at Prescot Street on 15 December.