With its first Advancing Mental Health Equalities Strategy, NHS England and NHS Improvement calls on all mental health services to take concrete steps to fight stigma and inequalities across the sector.

This strategy summarises the core actions that we all need to take to bridge the gaps for communities fairing worse than others in mental health services. It is also an important element of the overall NHS plans to accelerate action to address health inequalities in the next stage of responding to COVID-19.

We will continue to work closely with patients, carers, health system leaders and other key stakeholders to ensure we collectively deliver the real and sustainable change our patients and staff deserve.