Two Sussex mental health initiatives shortlisted for national HSJ awards
Two innovative Sussex services have been shortlisted in the 2026 Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards, recognising work to improve care for adults with ADHD and children and young people with complex mental health needs.
ADHD Primary Care Connect is a partnership initiative delivered by Sussex Primary Care Provider Collaborative (PCPC), Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) and NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB). The programme is exploring how ADHD assessment, diagnosis and ongoing support can be delivered closer to home, within a primary care setting.
Since launching, the service has received 2,440 referrals across the three pilot areas of Brighton and Hove, Crawley and Hastings, and received highly positive patient feedback. demonstrating the level of need.
GP clinical lead, Dr David Fox, said:
Having a local service means face-to-face assessments are the norm, with clinicians who understand the local community and the support available. One patient not only received an ADHD assessment and treatment but was also connected with our PCN social prescribing team for workplace support. Because we work within local general practice, we're also able to identify and manage other health needs, providing more holistic care than a remote service alone.
I hope this pilot demonstrates that ADHD assessment and support is an essential part of modern healthcare. By providing equitable access to timely assessment, diagnosis and treatment closer to home, we can improve outcomes for people with ADHD while reducing avoidable costs across the wider health and care system that arise when this care is not delivered as a local service.
In recognition of the positive impact Primary Care Connect is having for patients across Sussex, HSJ has shortlisted the project in the Mental Health Innovation of the Year category, ahead of an awards ceremony later in the Autumn.
ADHD Primary Care Connect provides care closer to home through local GP practice teams and is part of a wider effort to respond to increasing demand for neurodevelopmental services locally and nationally.
Between 41,000 and 55,500 adults in Sussex are estimated to have ADHD, and referrals for adult assessment have tripled over five years. This has left more than 15,000 adults on SPFT’s ADHD assessment waiting list.
Alongside this, the Southern Counties CAMHS Provider Collaborative, for which SPFT is the lead provider, has been shortlisted in the HSJ Provider Collaborative of the Year category. The Provider Collaborative has made significant investment in alternatives to inpatient services, including COAST, an intensive home treatment service and Spring Tide an eating disorder day service in Sussex, which have been co-designed with people with lived experience. These services are helping to keep young people out of hospital, reducing admissions from a peak of 100 to fewer than 65.
The HSJ awards have recognised excellence in healthcare for nearly 50 years and are independently judged by senior healthcare leaders from the NHS and beyond.
Oliver Dale, Chief Medical Officer at Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust said:
ADHD is a significant challenge for the NHS nationally, as both assessment waiting lists and diagnoses grow. This is a particular challenge in Sussex, where as many as 55,000 people are estimated to be living with ADHD.
Innovation is key to finding solutions to the ADHD challenge that are sustainable and help those living with ADHD access the care and support they need. Primary Care Connect is an example of how innovation can unlock solutions in ADHD care, so we’re thrilled that this innovation, and the positive impact it is having, has been recognised by the HSJ. This is testament to the hard work of our teams and partners across Sussex.
Katherine Saunders, Sussex Primary Care Provider Collaborative, said:
ADHD Primary Care Connect shows how neighbourhood provider collaboration can turn a complex system problem into a practical local service for patients.
Primary Care Provider Collaboratives can play a vital role in bridging system strategy and neighbourhood delivery - creating consistent, scalable models that improve access and move care closer to home.
Being shortlisted for an HSJ Award is fantastic recognition of the teams, partners and people with lived experience who have worked together to develop and deliver the service.
Dr Amy Dissanayake, deputy Chief Medical Officer, NHS Surrey and Sussex, said:
Primary Care Connect is making a real difference for people across Sussex by bringing ADHD assessment, diagnosis and, critically, ongoing support irrespective of diagnosis, within the community. For many adults, this means quicker access to care, greater understanding of their needs and support that is better connected to local services and communities. The HSJ recognition reflects the hard work of all the teams and partners involved, and shows how innovation in mental health care can improve people’s lives now, while offering learning that could benefit many more others nationally.