Our history

2001
Chief Executives of 13 mental health provider charities start holding regular meetings to network and share knowledge and expertise

2002
The forum of Chief Executives commission a study, the Compass report, which estimates current voluntary sector provision of mental health services at 10% of statutory provision and recommends that the profile and credibility of voluntary sector providers to government and service purchasers

2004
The forum jointly publishes 'Mapping Clinical Governance in Voluntary Sector Organisations' with the National Institute for Mental Health England

2005
The Voluntary Sector Mental Health Providers Forum registered as a company and launched at the 2005 Care Service Improvement Partnership 'Making Partnerships Work' conference.

Judy Weleminsky appointed as the organisation's first Chief Executive

From December 2005 new members accepted

Our aims
Ultimately, our aim is to improve the range and quality of mental health services that are accessible by working to increase the involvement of the voluntary and community sector in delivering these services. Because of this, we are committed to working in equal partnership with statutory agencies involved in health and social care for people with mental health needs.

MHPF want to ensure that service users have access to joined up, seamless services from the organisations that support them. We facilitate this through supporting and promoting information exchange and the sharing of best practice across the voluntary, statutory and private sectors.

Our Values

A society where everyone with mental health concerns has the right to get the support they need from a wide range of providers, implementing demonstrable values which include:

• respecting service user perspectives, empowerment and choices
• believing in and supporting recovery and social inclusion
• commitment to collaboration, sharing and partnership
• commitment to service excellence, innovation, evidence based practice and continuous improvement
• developing and promoting the unique value based contribution of the voluntary sector

Our Strategic Objectives to 2010

• To challenge, shape and expand the market in line with users' demand and our core values
• To articulate and promote users' concerns about their experience of mental health services
• To produce evidence to support radical change in the system for delivering mental health services
• To drive the development of outcomes focused commissioning
• To strengthen the capacity of the sector and individual organisations to improve service provision
• To become a more diverse network of providers which is recognised as the voice of the voluntary mental health sector