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Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event which aims to raise awareness and promote open conversations about mental health.  In this Top picks, we’ve pulled together resources, blogs and reports from the hub that focus on improving patient safety across different aspects of mental health services and also supporting staff with their own mental health and wellbeing. 1 World mental health today: latest data (WHO, 2025) This World Health Organization (WHO) document draws on the latest information available to outline the state of mental health and mental health systems in the world. It shows that mental health conditions remain highly prevalent, with more than a billion people worldwide living with a mental disorder. This report provides essential data to guide national and global dialogue. It highlights where progress is being made – and where critical gaps persist. This report should serve as a vital tool for policy-makers, implementers and advocates alike. 2 Jay’s Personalised Safety Planning Toolkit: A guide to support meaningful safety planning for self-harm and suicide This toolkit is a co‑designed set of materials created with researchers, people with personal experience of suicide and self-harm, and healthcare professionals. Inspired by the family of Jaymie Mart, known as Jay, who died by suicide in 2012 at the age of 32, the toolkit—which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)—offers clear, practical guidance to help adults create and review personalised safety plans. 3 Harry’s story: Acute Behavioural Disturbance In December 2022, Harry Vass died after experiencing Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD) and a complex disturbance in normal physiology. Harry’s death was found to be avoidable as carers were not fully aware of this condition associated with acute psychosis. In this blog, Harry’s mother Julie describes the barriers they faced in getting the right support and care for Harry before he died and highlights the need for healthcare staff to have a greater awareness of ABD and the associated risks of a medical emergency. You can also read a second blog by Julie, where she explains more about Acute Behavioural Disturbance and the changes she believes are needed to make sure patients like Harry are cared for appropriately. 4 Life Beyond the Cubicle: eLearning to support working well with families during mental health crises A set of eLearning modules designed to educate and update clinicians on the importance of involving families wherever possible during mental health crises to improve patient care, avoid harm and reduce deaths. They were developed as a partnership between Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Making Families Count, with funding from NHS England South East Region (HEE legacy funds). The resources have been co-produced by people with lived experience as patients, family carers and clinicians, supported by an Advisory Group drawn from a wide range of expertise, tested in eleven NHS Trusts and independently evaluated. 5 Mental health crises: how to improve care In May 2024, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Evidence held a webinar on care for adults in mental health crisis. The webinar shared research findings on what works in community crisis care, how acute day units compare to crisis resolution teams and whether peer-supported self-management can reduce acute readmissions. This Collection summarises the 3 research projects presented at the webinar. It includes video clips from the speakers and incorporates quotes from the day. The information will be useful for anyone involved in commissioning or delivering mental health crisis services. 6 Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence This new guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) covers assessment, management and preventing recurrence for children, young people and adults who have self-harmed. It includes those with a mental health problem, neurodevelopmental disorder or learning disability and applies to all sectors that work with people who have self-harmed. The guideline sets out some important principles for care and treatment. For example, it states that self-harming patients treated in primary care must receive regular follow-up appointments, regular reviews of self-harm behaviour and a regular medicines review. 7 Hope Virgo: What needs to happen to stop people with eating disorders being failed by the healthcare system? In this blog, Hope Virgo, author and Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eating Disorders, examines the crisis that continues in eating disorder services in the UK and the devastating impact this is having on patients and their families. She highlights how failures in services lead to avoidable deaths. Hope shares the key recommendations from a new report by the APPG and calls for adequate funding and attention to ensure people with eating disorders receive the help they need to recover. 8 Designing paediatric wards to support mental health Blog from the Health Services Safety Investigations Board (HSSIB) authored by Saskia Fursland, Senior Safety Investigator. She talks about her visit to a newly opened paediatric ward where its design has carefully considered children and young people with mental health needs. Saskia reflects on the learning which could support other paediatric wards to improve their environments. 9 Zero Suicide Alliance training The Zero Suicide Alliance is a collaboration of NHS trusts, charities, businesses and individuals who are committed to suicide prevention in the UK and beyond. Their website offers free online training courses to teach people the skills and confidence to have potentially life-saving conversations with someone they’re worried about. They offer short online modules covering general suicide awareness, social isolation and suicide in veterans and university students. 10 How can our team move past a traumatic event? After an extreme traumatic event there are things that you can do to help yourself, and your colleagues, to move on. Fiona Day, medical and public health leadership coach and chartered coaching psychologist, Stacey Killick, consultant paediatrician at Glan Clwyd Hospital, and Lucy Easthope, professor in practice at Durham University’s Institute of Hazard, Risk, and Resilience and adviser on disaster recovery give their tips in this BMJ article. 11 Trusted information collection: severe mental illness (Patient Information Forum) The Patient Information Forum (PIF) have launched a series of new collections to help people find trusted resources. Each collection only features resources that have the PIF TICK. That means they are easy-to-read, evidence-based and easy to understand. Topics include: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis. 12 Vicarious trauma: The invisible epidemic In healthcare, an insidious epidemic lurks beneath the surface, affecting the very individuals tasked with providing care: vicarious trauma by empathy. Despite its profound impact, this phenomenon remains largely unrecognised and under-discussed within the sector. As leaders, it is imperative that we shed light on this invisible trauma and acknowledge it as one of the greatest challenges facing our industry, as Margarida Pacheco explains in this blog. 13 Beyond stereotypes: A lived experience guide to navigating support for disordered eating Disordered eating can affect anyone, but it can be confusing to understand and recognise it in our own personal experiences. This guide, published by East London NHS Foundation Trust, is a snapshot of how adults in East London have navigated those experiences of uncertainty while seeking support for disordered eating. For many of the contributors, preconceptions about what an eating disorder is (or isn’t) have previously acted as a barrier to seeking or receiving support. It also contains advice on how to seek support for disordered eating. 14 “The alarming rate of suicide among healthcare workers should be a wake-up call in the urgent need to support them” Frontline19 was established at the start of the Covid pandemic as an urgent response to support frontline workers who were under extreme pressure and experiencing significant mental health challenges. Psychotherapist Claire Goodwin-Fee is the founder and CEO of Frontline19. In this blog, Claire explains how systemic pressures and stigma around mental health are continuing to leave healthcare staff extremely vulnerable. 15 Blog: Why harmful gender stereotypes surrounding men’s approaches towards their feelings need challenging This blog explores why men are reluctant to seek support when they are struggling with their mental health and why the suicide rate is so high. It looks at initiatives that exist to encourage men to seek help and highlights what more could be done to support mens’ mental health. 16 Time for a rebalance: psychological and emotional well-being in the healthcare workforce as the foundation for patient safety In this editorial for BMJ Quality and Safety, Kate Kirk explains why staff well-being is the foundation to improving patient safety. 17 Top tips and key actions for successful collaborative partnership working across mental health services These top tips and key actions have been co-developed to support effective collaborative partnership working in the planning and delivery of community mental health services. They recognise that every heath and care system will experience challenges in relation to partnership working given the statutory and cultural differences of organisations working across the mental health pathways and that there will be different arrangements to frame local partnership working, including for example a Section 75 agreement. 18 Balancing care: The psychological impact of ensuring patient safety In this blog, Leah Bowden, a patient safety specialist, reflects on the impact her job has on her mental health and family life. She discusses why there needs to be specialised clinical supervision for staff involved in reviewing patient safety incidents and how organisations need to come together to identify ways we can support our patient safety teams. 19 NHS England: Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management This guidance supports the government’s work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services. It promotes a shift towards a more holistic, person-centred approach rather than relying on risk prediction, which is unreliable because suicidal thoughts can change quickly. Instead, it recommends using a method based on understanding each person’s situation and managing their safety. 20 The Motherhood Group: Black maternal mental health report UK The Motherhood Group has launched a landmark report on Black maternal mental health in the United Kingdom, shining a light on the urgent need for safe spaces, culturally competent peer support, digital access, and community-driven, anti-racist solutions. This report centres the lived experiences of Black mothers and highlights systemic barriers to quality, affordable mental healthcare. By leading this research, The Motherhood Group places Black mothers’ voices at the forefront of national conversations, providing policy-makers, health services, and communities with the insights needed to drive meaningful change. 21 Mental Maintenance at NEAS: a proactive approach to staff mental health The North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) provides emergency medical and patient transport services to a population of 2.7 million people in the North East region, employing over 3,400 staff members. Exposure to traumatic events, the demands of shift working and an uncertainty of what’s in store each day, can impact ambulance staff mental health. Read how North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust created a campaign to provide proactive staff mental health support. 22 Mind: The big mental health report 2025 Mind’s 2025 Big Mental Health Report explores the state of mental health, and mental health services and support across England and Wales. It builds on the insights from their 2024 report and gives a comprehensive picture of mental health to date, serving as a crucial guide that anyone can use. It explores the latest evidence on the nation’s mental health including how well services are supporting mental health in England and Wales. 23 Making sense after a suicide: living with blame, uncertainty, and the need for answers. You are not alone Each year, more than 700,000 people die by suicide worldwide. In the UK, it is around 7,000 – making it the biggest cause of death for people aged 20–34 and for men under 50. Making Families Count have created this resource to offer some comfort, recognition, and companionship in the aftermath of bereavement by suicide, whether it seems the person intended to take their own life, or their intention was unclear. The resource consists of a booklet and three short films of people’s stories of their bereavement by suicide. Written by Dr Rachel Gibbons, with contributions from a group of bereaved families, Dr Karen Lascelles, and comments and suggestions from other affected people and those who work with them. 24 National Audit of Eating Disorders Service Mapping Report 2025 The National Audit of Eating Disorders (NAED) is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and funded by NHS England as part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme. In 2025 the NAED team conducted a comprehensive mapping of eating disorder service provision across England. This report provides an in-depth overview of NHS-funded and independent sector services for children, young people, and adults. 25 Mental health crisis care: legislative challenges in emergency departments (HSSIB) The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) published two reports intended for healthcare organisations, policymakers and the public to help improve patient safety in relation to safety issues identified for people experiencing a mental health crisis who come into contact with urgent and emergency care services. This first report focuses on the significant legal, policy and safety gap in the care of people in emergency departments (EDs) in mental health crisis. During consultation on this report, concerns were shared with HSSIB about the current challenges in relation to the resourcing and configuration of mental health services that exacerbate challenges faced in the ED. 26 Mental health: attempted suicide while under the care of community services (HSSIB) The second HSSIB investigation used the patient safety incident investigation (PSII) report template and Patient Safety Incident Review Framework (PSIRF) tools to investigate an attempted suicide in the community mental health setting. Findings and areas for improvement are listed for the organisations that were involved in this incident. However, the learning may be relevant to other organisations. Have your say Do you have any stories, insights or resources related to mental health? We would love to hear from you! Comment below (register for free here first) Get in touch with us directly to share your insights.

At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That's why we created the hub; providing a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples.  To support. WHO's World Immunisation Week, we have picked 14 resources full of practical advice about vaccination in a range of settings. 1 WHO: Vaccines explained "Vaccines Explained" is a series of illustrated articles from the World Health Organization that describe how vaccines work, how they’re developed and distributed and how their safety is carefully monitored. 2 EDUCATE KS3 lesson pack: HPV vaccination Co-produced by young people and researchers from the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘EDUCATE’ helps teach students about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and provide reassurance about receiving the vaccine, which is usually offered to teenagers at school as part of the national vaccination programme. 3 The Green Book: Immunisation against infectious diseases The Green Book is published by the UK Health Security Agency and contains the latest information on vaccination procedures for vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the UK. It offers guidance on general safety considerations and clinical procedures relating to immunisation, as well as specific information on a wide range of diseases and vaccinations. 4 Vaccination awareness toolkit for children and young people The School And Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA) has coproduced this vaccination toolkit with children and young people. It aims to increase young people's awareness of what vaccines are, why they are important and what to expect from different types of vaccines. 5 Improving communication about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme among families In England, young people aged 12 to 13 years are offered immunisation against HPV as part of the NHS vaccination programme. However, research by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol has identified sustained inequalities in uptake by area and minority ethnic groups. They have produced a number of information videos to address information needs about HPV among young people. They were coproduced with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and diverse ethnic groups. 6 A visual guide to vaccines for the UK routine vaccination programme This guide by the UK Health Security Agency is designed to help ensure healthcare workers administer the right vaccines at the right time. It provides photos of all vaccines used in the UK routine immunisation programme, as well as information on when each vaccine should be given and its different trade names and abbreviations. 7 Pain management in infant immunisation: A cross-sectional survey of UK primary care nurses Childhood immunisation is a critically important public health initiative. However, since most vaccines are administered by injection, it is associated with considerable pain and distress. Despite evidence demonstrating the efficacy of various pain management strategies, the frequency with which these are used during routine infant vaccinations in UK practice is unknown. This study aimed to explore primary care practice nurses’ use of evidence-based pain management strategies during infant immunisation, as well as barriers to evidence-based practice. 8 Shingles Vaccination Programme: GP toolkit for improving uptake About 1 in 5 people who have had chickenpox develop shingles, predominantly those who are over 70. However, uptake rates of the shingles vaccine are falling in London and across England. The purpose of this toolkit is to help GPs better protect their patients by suggesting ways to improve uptake of the shingles vaccine. These suggestions are based on best practice and evidence and have been shown to work with little or no cost to practices. 9 Interview with Charlet Crichton, founder of UKCVFamily UKCVFamily was set up in November 2021 to support patients in the UK who have had an adverse reaction to a Covid-19 vaccination. The group provides help and advocacy as well as raising awareness amongst healthcare professionals, the media and the Government. In this video for the hub, founder of UKCVFamily Charlet Crichton talks about why she established the group and describes the support it offers to patients. 10 Measles and rubella vaccine microneedle patch: new hope to reach the unreached children This Lancet article looks at how microneedle patches (MNPs) could potentially improve coverage of childhood vaccinations by providing a more thermostable, individual-dose, injection-free vaccine delivery device suitable for administration by local, non-medical personnel. MNPs could also reduce wasted vaccine doses, needle-stick injuries and breaks in the cold chain, as well as making waste management easier. 11 Whooping cough resurgence as vaccination rates slump Official data on whooping cough show that reports of suspected cases are at a 15-year high in the first three months of 2024. This article in the Pharmaceutical Journal looks at why cases are increasing, including falling rates of children receiving the childhood 6-in-1 vaccine and maternal vaccination. It outlines the symptoms of whooping cough, describes how it can be treated and includes a map identifying infection 'hot spots' in England and Wales. 12 Enhancing vaccine confidence across ethnic minority communities The Collaboration for Change is a group of two UK universities, nine community organisations and two small and medium size enterprises, who have conducted research on how to improve vaccine uptake among ethnic minority groups. The report highlights the factors influencing vaccine uptake. 13 Vaccination in the UK: Access, uptake and equity Over the last decade, the uptake of vaccines in the UK has stalled and is in many cases falling. Declining rates of routine childhood vaccination in a country with a well-established universal healthcare system are extremely concerning and pose a significant public health risk, with outbreaks of preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough already being seen. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)'s Commission on Immunisation policy report assesses how and why vaccine uptake has stalled or declined. It outlines the evidence and our recommendations to increase uptake of routine childhood vaccinations across three broad themes: access to services, improved data systems and strengthening public information, education and communication. 14 UK Covid-19 Inquiry: Module 4 -Vaccines and therapeutics The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published its fourth report and recommendations following its investigation into ‘Vaccines and therapeutics of the United Kingdom’. It considers and makes recommendations on a range of issues relating to the development of Covid-19 vaccines and the implementation of the vaccine rollout programme in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Issues relating to the treatment of Covid-19 through both existing and new medications were examined in parallel. Do you have a resource or story to share about immunisation safety? We’d love to hear about it - leave a comment below or join the hub to share your own post.

In this interview, David Osborn, chartered occupational safety and health practitioner and member of the Covid-19 Airborne Transmission Alliance (CATA), speaks to Lotty Tizzard, Digital Content Manager at Patient Safety Learning, about how CATA was established during the pandemic to advocate for adequate respiratory protection for NHS employees.  David explains how CATA advocated for the government and heath service to recognise that Covid-19 is passed on by aerosol transmission (through microscopic particles in the air). He also outlines why surgical masks do not adequately protect people against catching airborne viruses and describes how inadequate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) contributed to thousands of NHS staff catching Covid-19 at work. As a result, many healthcare workers died and a large number still live with the ongoing symptoms of Long Covid. David describes CATA's involvement as a Core Participant in the Covid-19 Inquiry and outlines what he hopes will be done to ensure the UK is better prepared for future pandemics. Patient Safety Learning is also a member of CATA. Clarification David wishes to clarify a point raised in the interview: "When talking about the “IPC Cell” I said that they 'didn’t produce minutes'. In fact, notes or minutes were taken at all IPC Cell meetings. The point I was making is that they were not published ('produced' in the sense of being released into the public domain), when the minutes of most other groups such as SAGE and NERVTAG were published. The few IPC Cell minutes that have trickled into the public domain have mostly been as a result of Freedom of Information requests by a colleague and a few that I have managed to obtain myself. In some cases, public authorities have taken around 18 months to disclose documents, and it has required the intervention of the Information Commissioner's Office. I anticipate that more minutes will be disclosed for public scrutiny as time goes on." You can read more about CATA and the Covid-19 Inquiry in David's blogs and presentations on the hub: Respiratory protective equipment: An unequal solution for healthcare workers? A blog by David Osborn Healthcare workers with Long Covid: Group litigation – a blog from David Osborn Covid-19 : A risk assessment too far? A blog by David Osborn CATA and the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry: Presentation from David Osborn Join the conversation Were you working in health and social care during the pandemic? We'd like to hear about your experience of health and safety at work. Were you provided with adequate PPE to carry out your job safely? Did you catch Covid-19 while at work? You can join the conversation by commenting below (you'll need to sign up first) or get in touch with us directly by emailing [email protected]