Our trust has won two national awards for pioneering projects that strengthen support for people using mental health services and their carers.
The two HSJ Patient Safety Awards won by our trust were announced yesterday evening, 15 September 2025, at an awards ceremony in Manchester. They are:
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Mental Health Safety Improvement Award – for the innovative Samaritans Brief Intervention Project, delivered in partnership with Guildford Samaritans.
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Developing a Positive Safety Culture Award – for its Carers Programme, which strengthens support for unpaid carers and families.
Both initiatives have been praised for making a tangible difference to people’s lives, offering extra layers of support that are already improving outcomes across Surrey and North East Hampshire.
Supporting people between appointments
The award-winning Samaritans Brief Intervention Project, run in partnership with Guildford Samaritans, offers additional emotional support to adults in between mental health appointments. Since launching in October 2023, more than 300 people have received the intervention.
Referrals are agreed between our trust’s primary mental health services and the person being referred. A trained Samaritans volunteer then arranges calls at times that suit the individual - including evenings and weekends.
Since the project launched in October 2023, there have been over 300 referrals by our trust. The project supports people using the trust’s Mind Matters Surrey Talking Therapies service and those receiving support from the trust’s primary care mental health service, available through GPs in Surrey and in North East Hampshire.
One person who has been supported said: “It was very helpful to know that someone was going to call while I was waiting for my next appointment. I felt that I was being held during a really difficult few days.”
Giving carers a stronger voice
Our trust's Carers Programme - winner of the Developing a Positive Safety Culture Award - focuses on working with families and unpaid carers to make sure their knowledge and experience shape care and improve safety.
Specialist training, designed and delivered by carers and experts has helped out trust’s staff to better identify and support carers, contributing to a 45% increase in completed Carers Prescriptions. Through the Carers’ Prescription staff can link carers with a wide range of local support, including services provided by Surrey County Council and Action for Carers.
The Carers Programme has also focused on encouraging carers to be part of care planning for their loved ones to help support them and keep them safe. In February 2024 47% of risk assessments included carer involvement which role to 62% by October 2024.
One carer said: “Every person we have worked with has been incredibly supportive and has taken on board everything we had to say.”