2026 Conference Programme
Main Theatre
09:30
KEYNOTE: Children and Young People’s Mental Health; National Policy and Strategy
Main Theatre
Speaker:
Prof Prathiba Chitsabesan National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health - NHS England
11:00
The Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS)
Main Theatre
Speakers:
Thorarinn Freysson Service Manager - Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Mehtab Rahman Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Lead for Inpatient Services - St Charles Hospital, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
11:30
Designed About Us Without Us: Lived Experience CAMHS Inpatient Sensory Friendly Spaces for Autism and Psychosis
Main Theatre
Speaker:
ZeZe Sohawon Chief Executive Officer - Emotion Dysregulation in Autism
13:30
Keynote: Inclusive Design in (Digital) Mental Health: We Aren’t There Yet
Main Theatre
Speaker:
Max Marulli De Barletta Inclusive Design Lead - NHS England
14:30
How the Qualitative and Quantitative Learning From the Dormitory Eradication Programme will be Compiled and How the DiMH Network May be Able to Inform This Learning
Main Theatre
Speaker:
Helen Griffin Masterplan Lead, Architectural Lead for Technical Guidance Programme - NHS England
15:00
An Update on the Development of the National Estates Technical Bulletin on the Standard for Accommodating Mental Health Patients on Paediatric Wards in Acute Hospitals
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Helen Griffin Masterplan Lead, Architectural Lead for Technical Guidance Programme - NHS England
16:00
Designing Emergency Departments with Mental Health in Mind – Creating Better Care Environments for All
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- ZeZe Sohawon Chief Executive Officer - Emotion Dysregulation in Autism
Chris Todd Director of Estates and Facilities - North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, National Vice Chair of HEFMA
Green Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
11:00
Blossom Court: Lessons Learnt From a Two-Storey Inpatient Unit
Green Theatre
Speaker:
Ruari Reeves Director - Medical Architecture
11:30
The Importance of Evaluating Mental Health Design – Woodland View 10 Years On
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- William Lauder General Manager - Ayrshire Central Hospital
Karen Flatt Architect, Associate Principal Mental Health Lead - Arcadis
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
14:30
‘A Room With a View’ – Challenging the Norm, Restorative Design and Empowered Co-production at Water Meadow View
Green Theatre
Speakers:
Andrew Arnold Director/Architect - Gilling Dod
Karen Howell Landscape Architect - Iteriad- Amy Shaw Clinical Lead: Water Meadow View and Whalley Learning Disability Services, Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) - Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
15:00
Beyond Assumptions: How Design Decisions Shape Psychiatric Emergency Care Outcomes
Green Theatre
Speakers:
Virginia Pankey Behavioral Health Practice Leader - HOK
Dr Scott Zeller Vice President of Acute Psychiatry - Vituity
16:00
Designing with Purpose: Occupational Therapy and Mental Health
Green Theatre
Speakers:
Josh Jones Regional Lead Occupational Therapist - South West - Cygnet Health Care
Michelle Van Vuren Head of Occupational Therapy - Cygnet Healthcare
16:30
What is the Impact of Centralised Versus Decentralised Ward Designs on Fall Incidences in One Older Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit in Victoria, Australia
Green Theatre
Speaker:
Shalitha Seneviratne Registered Psychiatric Nurse - Alfred Health
Blue Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
11:00
Creating Supportive Home Environments for People with Learning Disabilities
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Mark Pearce Regional Advisor - Foundations
11:30
The Brook: From Concept to Completion – Sensory-Informed Design in Practice
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
Anita White Associate Architect - grainge architects
Liz Lavender Associate - Design in Mental Health Network
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
14:30
VR for Reducing Restrictive Practices
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
Ciaran Cuddihy Practice Development Facilitator - HSE West
15:00
Alternatives to Impatient Wards Using the Soteria Approach
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
Rita Horgan Independent Lived Experience Researcher
16:00
Connected Care: How Smart Environments Support Mental Health
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
James Clegg Milton Keynes University Hospital
Lisa Yates Digital Strategy Lead for the National Rehabilitation Centre - Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Workshop Room
11:00
Co-producing Urgent and Emergency Care Environments: Insights From The MHED Community of Practice
Workshop
Speakers:
Maria Luigia Assirelli Floyd Slaski Architects
Charlotte Burrows CEO - Design in Mental Health Network
14:30
Results from a National Evaluation of Prevalence and Perceptions of Vision-based Monitoring and Body Worn Cameras in Mental Health Inpatient Wards in England
Workshop
Speakers:
Ian Callaghan Lived Experience Programme Manager - Rethink Mental Illness
Ade Odunlade Interim CEO - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Fiona Nolan Visiting Professor in Mental Health - University of London
16:00
Expert “Steak” Holders, Reducing the Power Dynamics of Co-production
Speaker:
- Nicholas Smith Co-Founder - Missing Peace Wellbeing
Main Theatre
09:30
KEYNOTE: Children and Young People’s Mental Health; National Policy and Strategy
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Prof Prathiba Chitsabesan National Clinical Director for Children and Young People’s Mental Health - NHS England
11:00
The Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS)
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Thorarinn Freysson Service Manager - Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Mehtab Rahman Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Lead for Inpatient Services - St Charles Hospital, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
11:30
Designed About Us Without Us: Lived Experience CAMHS Inpatient Sensory Friendly Spaces for Autism and Psychosis
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- ZeZe Sohawon Chief Executive Officer - Emotion Dysregulation in Autism
13:30
Keynote: Inclusive Design in (Digital) Mental Health: We Aren’t There Yet
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Max Marulli De Barletta Inclusive Design Lead - NHS England
14:30
How the Qualitative and Quantitative Learning From the Dormitory Eradication Programme will be Compiled and How the DiMH Network May be Able to Inform This Learning
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Helen Griffin Masterplan Lead, Architectural Lead for Technical Guidance Programme - NHS England
15:00
An Update on the Development of the National Estates Technical Bulletin on the Standard for Accommodating Mental Health Patients on Paediatric Wards in Acute Hospitals
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Helen Griffin Masterplan Lead, Architectural Lead for Technical Guidance Programme - NHS England
16:00
Designing Emergency Departments with Mental Health in Mind – Creating Better Care Environments for All
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- ZeZe Sohawon Chief Executive Officer - Emotion Dysregulation in Autism
- Chris Todd Director of Estates and Facilities - North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, National Vice Chair of HEFMA
Green Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
11:00
Blossom Court: Lessons Learnt From a Two-Storey Inpatient Unit
Green Theatre
Speaker:
- Ruari Reeves Director - Medical Architecture
11:30
The Importance of Evaluating Mental Health Design – Woodland View 10 Years On
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- William Lauder General Manager - Ayrshire Central Hospital
- Karen Flatt Architect, Associate Principal Mental Health Lead - Arcadis
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
14:30
‘A Room With a View’ – Challenging the Norm, Restorative Design and Empowered Co-production at Water Meadow View
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Andrew Arnold Director/Architect - Gilling Dod
- Karen Howell Landscape Architect - Iteriad
- Amy Shaw Clinical Lead: Water Meadow View and Whalley Learning Disability Services, Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) - Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
15:00
Beyond Assumptions: How Design Decisions Shape Psychiatric Emergency Care Outcomes
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Virginia Pankey Behavioral Health Practice Leader - HOK
- Dr Scott Zeller Vice President of Acute Psychiatry - Vituity
16:00
Designing with Purpose: Occupational Therapy and Mental Health
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Josh Jones Regional Lead Occupational Therapist - South West - Cygnet Health Care
- Michelle Van Vuren Head of Occupational Therapy - Cygnet Healthcare
16:30
What is the Impact of Centralised Versus Decentralised Ward Designs on Fall Incidences in One Older Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit in Victoria, Australia
Green Theatre
Speaker:
- Shalitha Seneviratne Registered Psychiatric Nurse - Alfred Health
Blue Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
11:00
Creating Supportive Home Environments for People with Learning Disabilities
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Mark Pearce Regional Advisor - Foundations
11:30
The Brook: From Concept to Completion – Sensory-Informed Design in Practice
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
- Anita White Associate Architect - grainge architects
- Liz Lavender Associate - Design in Mental Health Network
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
14:30
VR for Reducing Restrictive Practices
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Ciaran Cuddihy Practice Development Facilitator - HSE West
15:00
Alternatives to Impatient Wards Using the Soteria Approach
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Rita Horgan Independent Lived Experience Researcher
16:00
Connected Care: How Smart Environments Support Mental Health
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
- James Clegg Milton Keynes University Hospital
- Lisa Yates Digital Strategy Lead for the National Rehabilitation Centre - Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Workshop Room
11:00
Workshop
Co-producing Urgent and Emergency Care Environments: Insights From The MHED Community of Practice
Workshop
Speakers:
- Maria Luigia Assirelli Floyd Slaski Architects
- Charlotte Burrows CEO - Design in Mental Health Network
14:30
Workshop
Results from a National Evaluation of Prevalence and Perceptions of Vision-based Monitoring and Body Worn Cameras in Mental Health Inpatient Wards in England
Workshop
Speakers:
- Ian Callaghan Lived Experience Programme Manager - Rethink Mental Illness
- Ade Odunlade Interim CEO - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Fiona Nolan Visiting Professor in Mental Health - University of London
16:00
Workshop
Expert “Steak” Holders, Reducing the Power Dynamics of Co-production
Speaker:
- Nicholas Smith Co-Founder - Missing Peace Wellbeing
Main Theatre
09:30
KEYNOTE: Safe, Compassionate and Effective Care and the Value of Environment – Reflections from a lived experience and CQC perspective
Main Theatre
Speakers:
Raf Hamazia Expert by Experience Lead - Cygnet Health Care
Laura Baker Deputy Director of Mental Health - CQC
11:00
Neighbourhood Mental Health Hubs – The Impact of Good Design?
Main Theatre
Speaker:
James Sutherland National Specialist Advisor on Community Mental Health Transformation - NHS England
11:30
Spaces that Listen: Co‑Designing for Compassion and Wellbeing at Central London Samaritans
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Paul Mathews Director - Murphy Philipps
- Jeremy Marcus Central London Samaritans
13:30
KEYNOTE: Mental Health in the NHS: the Tension Between Operating Priorities and Ambitions for Transformation
Main Theatre
Speaker:
Rebecca Gray Director, Mental Health Network - NHS Confederation
14:30
Interactive Discussion: A Constellation of Care: Crafting Community Mental Health Across a Continent
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Kimberley Jones Connections Health Solutions
Jake Gearheard President - TrimTabs Consulting Inc.
Stephen Parker Mental + Behavioural Health Planner
Deanna Brown Design Principal - Stantec Architecture
Melissa White Senior Associate - Stantec
Christine Walsh Senior Associate - Stantec
Green Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
11:00
National Forensic Mental Health Service Hospital: Three Year POE
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Ruari Reeves Director - Medical Architecture
Karl Burton Project Director - Scott Tallon Walker Architects
11:30
Inspired by Nature, Informed by Experience: The Design of the Kingfisher
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Emma Moody Associate Director for Service Development and Commissioning - Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
- Mathew Page Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive - Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
14:30
Individuals in Institutional Care; What Patients Need, What They Get
Green Theatre
Speaker:
Teva Hesse Design Director - 4D Studio Architects
15:00
Using Art and Visual Design to Support De-escalation
Green Theatre
Speaker:
Dr Steve Fossey Associate Professor, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - University of Lincoln
Blue Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
11:00
Dignity by Design – Launching the Latest Publication from the Design with People in Mind Series
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
Dr Paul Hannah Design in Mental Health Network
11:30
Inclusive Design in Practice, Rethinking How We Engage Stakeholders: Practical Methods for Successful, Accessible and Inclusive Co-design
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Maria Luigia Assirelli Floyd Slaski Architects
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
14:30
Beyond ‘Biophilic’ to ALIVE: a ‘Landscape-led’ Approach to Healthcare Design
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
David Singleton Landscape Architect - DSA Environment & Design
15:00
Echoes of the Past, Pathways to the Future. A Shared Journey Towards Excellence in Mental Health design, Care and Discovery.
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
Samantha Robinson Clinical Nurse Lead - New Warneford Project - Oxford Health NHS FT- Robert Dawson Director - Eric Parry Architects
Workshop Room
11:00
Co-Designing Digital Trust: Lessons from Developing a Privacy-Preserving Behavioural Framework for Mental-Health Technology
Workshop
Speaker:
- Faithful Freeman Cybersecurity & Innovation Lead - IdeaChef CIC | IdentiChain | Coventry University
14:30
Design Thinking Workshop: Enhancing the Mental Health Patient Journey
Workshop
Speakers:
Con McGarry Senior Consultant Digital X Healthcare - Arcadis
Alice Green Associate Principal Architect - Arcadis- Karen Flatt Architect, Associate Principal Mental Health Lead - Arcadis
Main Theatre
09:30
KEYNOTE: Safe, Compassionate and Effective Care and the Value of Environment – Reflections from a lived experience and CQC perspective
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Raf Hamazia Expert by Experience Lead - Cygnet Health Care
- Laura Baker Deputy Director of Mental Health - CQC
11:00
Neighbourhood Mental Health Hubs – The Impact of Good Design?
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- James Sutherland National Specialist Advisor on Community Mental Health Transformation - NHS England
11:30
Spaces that Listen: Co‑Designing for Compassion and Wellbeing at Central London Samaritans
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Paul Mathews Director - Murphy Philipps
- Jeremy Marcus Central London Samaritans
13:30
KEYNOTE: Mental Health in the NHS: the Tension Between Operating Priorities and Ambitions for Transformation
Main Theatre
Speaker:
- Rebecca Gray Director, Mental Health Network - NHS Confederation
14:30
Interactive Discussion: A Constellation of Care: Crafting Community Mental Health Across a Continent
Main Theatre
Speakers:
- Kimberley Jones Connections Health Solutions
- Jake Gearheard President - TrimTabs Consulting Inc.
- Stephen Parker Mental + Behavioural Health Planner
- Deanna Brown Design Principal - Stantec Architecture
- Melissa White Senior Associate - Stantec
- Christine Walsh Senior Associate - Stantec
Green Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
11:00
National Forensic Mental Health Service Hospital: Three Year POE
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Ruari Reeves Director - Medical Architecture
- Karl Burton Project Director - Scott Tallon Walker Architects
11:30
Inspired by Nature, Informed by Experience: The Design of the Kingfisher
Green Theatre
Speakers:
- Emma Moody Associate Director for Service Development and Commissioning - Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
- Mathew Page Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive - Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Green Theatre
14:30
Individuals in Institutional Care; What Patients Need, What They Get
Green Theatre
Speaker:
- Teva Hesse Design Director - 4D Studio Architects
15:00
Using Art and Visual Design to Support De-escalation
Green Theatre
Speaker:
- Dr Steve Fossey Associate Professor, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - University of Lincoln
Blue Theatre
09:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
11:00
Dignity by Design – Launching the Latest Publication from the Design with People in Mind Series
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Dr Paul Hannah Design in Mental Health Network
11:30
Inclusive Design in Practice, Rethinking How We Engage Stakeholders: Practical Methods for Successful, Accessible and Inclusive Co-design
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- Maria Luigia Assirelli Floyd Slaski Architects
13:30
See Keynote session in Main Theatre
Blue Theatre
14:30
Beyond ‘Biophilic’ to ALIVE: a ‘Landscape-led’ Approach to Healthcare Design
Blue Theatre
Speaker:
- David Singleton Landscape Architect - DSA Environment & Design
15:00
Echoes of the Past, Pathways to the Future. A Shared Journey Towards Excellence in Mental Health design, Care and Discovery.
Blue Theatre
Speakers:
- Samantha Robinson Clinical Nurse Lead - New Warneford Project - Oxford Health NHS FT
- Robert Dawson Director - Eric Parry Architects
Workshop Room
11:00
Workshop
Co-Designing Digital Trust: Lessons from Developing a Privacy-Preserving Behavioural Framework for Mental-Health Technology
Workshop
Speaker:
- Faithful Freeman Cybersecurity & Innovation Lead - IdeaChef CIC | IdentiChain | Coventry University
14:30
Workshop
Design Thinking Workshop: Enhancing the Mental Health Patient Journey
Workshop
Speakers:
- Con McGarry Senior Consultant Digital X Healthcare - Arcadis
- Alice Green Associate Principal Architect - Arcadis
- Karen Flatt Architect, Associate Principal Mental Health Lead - Arcadis
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