The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) has secured £1.8 million in funding to strengthen mental health services for patients with complex needs and histories of offending.
The investment, provided by the Reach Out provider collaborative, will support a three-year pilot initiative aimed at improving the transition and integration of care for these vulnerable individuals. It is seen as a critical step in bridging the gap between specialised secure settings and secondary mental health services across the Black Country.
BCHFT plans to use the funding to launch a new specialist team with advanced forensic expertise. The team will play a key role in managing high-risk cases with greater assurance, enhancing patient safety while also instilling greater confidence within the community.
Carolyn Green, the trust’s Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, described the funding as transformative for BCHFT’s forensic care pathway.
“This funding is a game-changer,” Green said. “It enables us to provide expert support for our teams, equipping them with the tools needed to care for individuals with the most complex needs. This development was shaped directly by staff feedback, and I am truly grateful for their insight.”
The specialist team will operate through a newly established consultation hub, which will deliver expert assessments, detailed care planning, and ongoing support to inpatient wards and Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs). The hub is designed to improve access to high-level services, reduce unnecessary transitions between care settings, and prevent repeat admissions through early intervention strategies.
The initiative arrives as healthcare professionals report a growing number of patients with severe mental health challenges and heightened risk profiles. BCHFT said the new model of care will focus on delivering more comprehensive, compassionate, and recovery-oriented services, with the ultimate aim of supporting safer transitions from secure environments into supported community living.
The trust emphasized that the pilot will also foster stronger collaboration between services, providing a more integrated and responsive mental health system for the region.
