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This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and I would like to reflect on it s  theme of  community  – a word that means a lot to us.  I t is   not just a concept,  it is a cornerstone of how we work and why we care.  It is our vision: Better Mental Health. Better Lives. Better Communities.  

Being surrounded by people who listen,  care  and show kindness – whether they are friends, family,  neighbours  or a familiar face at the bus stop – is essential for good mental health. For many,  a strong sense  of community can be the difference between struggling alone and coping. That’s  why strong, supportive communities are at the heart of our work to improve mental health in North London.  

Research backs this up. Studies have shown that people with strong social networks are more resilient, recover faster from mental illness, and have lower rates of anxiety and depression. Yet loneliness is on the rise, especially among young people. According to the Mental Health Foundation, almost one in four UK adults felt lonely some or  all of  the time in 2023.  

That  i s why community is increasingly important to us. Through the  North London Way, we’re  building not just services, but hopefully systems that listen and respond to people’s lives. Whether it is through our home treatment teams or the drive to bring care closer to home, our goal is always the same: to create better mental health by connecting people with their communities.  

Our community teams, made up of nurses, social workers, psychologists, peer support workers, and occupational therapists, are based in  neighbourhoods  across our five boroughs. These teams provide holistic,  personalised  care that supports recovery and independence. They work with GPs, voluntary sector partners, and local authority and social care colleagues to help people stay well at home, avoid hospital admissions, and help our service users to rebuild their lives. From crisis support to housing or employment aid, we build teams around individuals and provide consistent, adaptable care to meet each person’s needs - we share the responsibility and risks with our  colleages. Despite financial challenges, every penny spent on prevention is valuable and every part of the  Health  and care system benefits from this.   

Our community teams are fundamental to everything we do. They are out there every day, quietly and compassionately helping people when our  clients  and their families may feel like  they’re  falling apart. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to celebrate them and the deep connections they build – because that  is what community is  really about . If you get a moment, please check out our daily community teams' spotlight to find out more what our teams do. 

Big t hanks to our staff and the strength of local partnerships,  who are helping  more people get support without needing to leave their area. Care is delivered closer to home,   which is  not only better for the individual, helping them stay connected to their lives and support networks, but better for the system too. It reduces pressure on beds, shortens waiting times, and keeps resources focused where they have the largest impact.   

So, this week, we  are celebrating the power of community for mental health and  wellbeing.  Let  us  be the neighbour who checks in, the colleague who notices, the friend who shows up. And let  us thank our community teams – quietly doing vital work every day. Strong communities make for better lives and better mental health – for everyone.  

Best Wishes  

Jinjer Kandola MBE