Neighbourhood Mental Health Team Focus Groups
Have you used a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team?
We want to hear about your experience
Our Lived Experience Advisory Groups (LEAGs) in Brighton and East Sussex are looking for patients and carers to take part in small, confidential focus groups about their experiences of Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams (NMHTs).
We want to hear what has worked well, what hasn’t worked so well and what could be improved.
Not sure if you've used a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team?
You might not know the service you have used as a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team or NMHT. You may know it by a different name, or have received support from someone working as part of the wider team.
For example, you might:
- know the service as Assessment and Treatment Services (ATS) provided by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT)
- have a Lead Practitioner (SPFT)
- have received support through an Emotional Wellbeing Service
- have worked with a Mental Health Support Coordinator (Southdown)
- have worked with a Mental Health Practitioner through your GP
If you’re not sure whether the service or person supporting you is part of a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team, please get in touch. We can help you work this out. Email us at [email protected]
Who can take part?
We would like to hear from you if, during the last year, you have:
- received care or support from a Neighbourhood Mental Health Team or one of the services working as part of it; or
- cared for or supported someone who has used these services.
What will taking part involve?
📅 Focus groups between September 2026 and January 2027
⏱️ Each session will last around 1.5 hours
💻 Sessions will take place online
👥 Groups will be kept small
Patients and carers will attend separate focus groups, so you will be talking with other people who have similar experiences. Holding the groups online means that people from across the area can take part without needing to travel.
What will we talk about?
We want to understand your experience in your own words. We might talk about:
- how you first came into contact with the service
- what information you were given
- how well people communicated with you
- whether you understood what was happening and what to expect
- whether you felt listened to and involved in decisions
- whether different people and services worked well together
- what worked well for you
- what could have been better or done differently.
There are no right or wrong answers. We want to hear about your experience, whether it has been positive, negative or a mixture of both.
A confidential and supportive space
We understand that talking about your experiences of mental health services can sometimes feel difficult. The focus groups will provide a confidential and respectful space where people can speak openly about their experiences.
Your feedback will be anonymised when we report what people have told us. You will not be named or identified in our findings.
Taking part – and anything you tell us – will not affect your care or support, now or in the future.
You can choose how much you want to share and you do not have to answer anything you are uncomfortable discussing.
We will talk to you beforehand
One of our facilitators will contact you before the focus group.
They will:
- explain how the session will work
- let you know what we will be discussing
- answer any questions you have
- ask about any accessibility or support needs
- talk with you about what would help you feel comfortable taking part.
If you need support to take part online, please let us know.
Receive a £25 shopping voucher
We value the time, experience and knowledge that people bring.
Everyone who attends a focus group will receive a £25 shopping voucher as a thank you for their time and contribution.
What will happen with what we learn?
We will bring together the experiences and themes shared across the focus groups to understand how Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams are working for patients and carers, what is working well and where things could be improved. This will be shared with SPFT, other services, and mental health commissioners to help them as they further develop the service. Individual participants will not be named or identified.
Your experience can help shape and improve Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams.
Interested in taking part?
Get in touch with the LEAG team to find out more or register your interest.
Email: [email protected]
Call: 01273 894040
Please let us know whether you are interested in taking part as a patient/service user or as a carer.