Empowering Partnerships in Communities (EPIC)
The EPIC research project, a targeted engagement initiative was commissioned to improve outcomes for patients and reduce detentions under the Mental Health Act (MHA).
The project specifically focused on exploring the lived experiences of Black, Asian, and Mixed Ethnic men (aged 18–65) with serious mental illness, alongside their carers, families, and community leaders in the Huddersfield (HD1/HD2), Halifax (HX1), and Dewsbury (WF13) areas.
Over a three-month period (May–July 2025), the Trust utilised its Community Connector programme and existing assets to gather over 1,200 individual pieces of feedback. Engagement methods included focus groups, questionnaires, individual interviews, and community events, co-developed with a clinical reference group and the PCREF community advisory group to ensure cultural relevance.
The engagement identified five critical themes affecting patient experience and outcomes:
- Accessing services
- Contact/Experience with services
- Crisis Point
- Admission to hospital
- Discharge
The insights gathered will directly inform opportunities for change to create a sustainable, long-term improvement in mental health care for racialised communities. The findings will guide future work to ensure people receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
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