Big Lottery to transform mental health services in Luton

A partnership of Luton organisations successfully bid to be part of the three year programme, to develop innovative ways to help people achieve good mental health in the community.

Dr Anthea Robinson, local GP and LCCG’s Clinical lead for Mental Health, said: “We will be working collaboratively with other like-minded organisations such as Luton Council, MIND BLMK, Total Wellbeing Luton and the East London foundation Trust (ELFT). More importantly, we will involve local people and organisations to co-produce a transformation of mental health in Luton.”

Social enterprise, the Innovation Unit, is leading the Living Well programme, funded by Big Lottery. The Living Well UK’s programme was inspired by an approach originally developed in Lambeth, South London. Luton is one of four locations that were successful in their bid to be part of the Living Well UK programme. The other locations are Edinburgh, Salford, and Tameside & Glossop. Luton will receive up to £100,000 a year for three years to support the programme locally.

Nicky Poulain, Accountable Officer for NHS Luton CCG, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to transform mental health in Luton. The approach developed in Lambeth shows that, by working collaboratively, we can achieve much better outcomes for people with mental health needs. The Living Well model places people with personal experience of mental ill health at the heart of its work and, by designing and delivering together, we will have a shared ownership and responsibility for those outcomes. We are looking forward to working with people and organisations across Luton to develop our own personalised, innovative approach to support local needs.”