September 2025
Guest Speakers:
Katie Cole
NHS Performance and Improvement
Jen Daffin
Platfform
Working Group Spotlight:
Communication and Engagement
Oliver Townsend and Lauren Hopkins
The Implementation Steering Group (ISG) met in Cardiff this afternoon and as part of their site visit programme, visited the Cardiff and Vale Recovery and Wellbeing College, hosted by Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board Mental Health services.
The college provides free educational courses on a range of mental health, physical health and wellbeing topics that are co-produced and co-delivered by health care professionals and peer trainers with lived experience of mental health and physical health challenges. ISG members enjoyed hearing from Susie Boxall, Strategic Lead for the Lived Experience Team along with a student who has accessed the College’s service. They discussed what the trauma-informed approach looks like at the College, how the work is aligned to the Trauma-informed Wales Framework, and discuss any opportunities to further support the current and future plans for Cardiff and the National provision. For more information visit their website.
The focus of the main ISG meeting in the afternoon was a discussion on the opportunities for closer alignment to, and support for the Welsh Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which has a commitment to implementing the Trauma-informed Wales Framework in its Delivery Plan for 2025-28. Expertly chaired by Ewan Hilton, Chief Executive from Platfform, the ISG heard from Katie Cole, NHS Performance and Improvement, and Jen Daffin discussing The Wales Alliance for Mental Health 2026 Manifesto as we prepare for political changes ahead.
The ISG is committed to offering a spotlight session to our working group co-chairs at our meetings. The Communication and Engagement working group presented for a second time today. Co-chairs Oliver Townsend and Lauren Hopkins presented on progress and current project plans, including an update on their project to look at how language around trauma differs, and is evolving across services in Wales.
To find out more about the working groups and how you could get involved, visit Our Approach.