MHNAUK SUB-GROUPS
AIMS OF THE GROUPS
MHNAUK has 3 main sub-groups, spanning the topics of Policy and Practice, Education and Research. Each group has a Chair, elected for a 2-3 year term by the members of MHNAUK, and meets at 6-8 week intervals. Any member of MHNAUK with an interest in the sub-group topic can attend meetings at any time, although contributions to the work of the groups on a regular basis is encouraged. The aims of the sub-groups are to
Contribute directly to MHNAUK’s biennial plan, agreeing a minimum of one prioritised objective and associated set of actions.
Horizon scan for issues, developments and challenges in its area of expertise, to consider the implications of these for mental health nursing and to share intelligence within the larger organisation.
Produce working papers, responses (and related), and serve as a source of internal and external advice.
Act as a resource of individuals with expertise able to contribute to external processes, consultations and groups.
POLICY & PRACTICE SUB-GROUP
Dr Caroline Laker (University of Greenwich) and Rose Havelock (Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS) were elected as Chairs of the group in 2025 and will serve until 2027.
More information on Rose and Caroline can be found here (to follow)
The role of the Policy and Practice Sub-Group included raising awareness amongst group members, and the wider MHNAUK group, of UK mental health policies, and their ramifications for mental health nurse education and practice, as well as users of mental health services.
Potentially Policy & Practice Sub-Group can impact emergent UK policy. Through having an awareness of policy and practice issues, listening to the opinions and suggestions of both standing group members and the wider MHNAUK, and liaising closely with the MHNAUK Chair and Vice-Chair, the group can give timely responses to national bodies about the issues that matter to mental health nurses, students, academic and service users. Group members have collaborated successfully to publish in peer reviewed journals, and write editorials and opinion pieces on relevant issues. Between them they have many years experience of mental health nurse education and clinical practice, generating an understanding of the complexities of mental health nursing on a local, national and international stage.
EDUCATION SUB-GROUP
Dr Nicky Lambert (Middlesex University) and Simon Hall (RCN) were elected as Chair of the Education sub-group in 2026 and will serve until Dec 2028.
More information on Nicky and Simon:
Dr Nicky Lambert - Associate Professor in Mental Health
Dr Nicky Lambert is an Associate Professor (Practice) at Middlesex University. She is registered as a Specialist Practitioner (NMC) and is a Senior Teaching Fellow (SFHEA). She is also a co-director of the Centre for Coproduction in Mental Health and Social Care.
Nicky has worked across a range of mental health services both in the UK and internationally supporting staff and practice development in acute and mental health trusts, councils, businesses and charities. She is active in supporting mental health and wellbeing with the RCN (where she is a Forum Member) and Unite. She is an editorial board member for Mental Health Nursing, a member of MHNAUK and on the education and policy committees. Nicky engages with local trusts and has worked with the RCPsych to support sexual safety in mental health services and develop national policy on women's health. She is also a Trustee for The Bridge and is a reviewer for various national bodies and higher education institutes.
Simon Hall – Professional Lead for Education (England and Mental Health)
Simon is a registered mental health nurse with experience across clinical, educational and research settings in the UK and Australia. In higher education roles, he has led major curriculum developments and co‑designed the RCN PSI course. His work focuses on translating research into meaningful learning and shaping compassionate, person‑centred mental health education. Simon’s expertise spans curriculum design, inclusion, widening participation and mental health nursing identity. His practice is grounded in service‑user and family perspectives, and he uses storytelling to bring lived experience into teaching. He is a values‑led educator committed to creating respectful and inclusive learning environments.
Education Group:
This group focuses on issues relating to mental health nurse education and policies influencing the content and means of delivering this training. Topics have included use of the practice assessment document for students, adherence to new guidance from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), collaborations between HEIs on educational programmes and the work of Health Education England in supporting nurse education.
RESEARCH SUB-GROUP
Dr Jane Matonhodze (University of Greenwich) and Dr Mark Pearson (University of Norringham) were elected as Chair of the Research Sub-Group in 2026 and will serve until 2028.
More information on Dr Jane Matonhodze and Dr Mark Pearson:
Dr Jane Matonhodze, Associate Professor in Mental Health, University of Greenwich
j.c.matonhodze@greenwich.ac.uk
Dr Jane Matonhodze is an Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing and Academic Portfolio Lead for Allied Health Professions and Community Nursing at the University of Greenwich. Jane’s areas of specialist research interests include professional identity and how we can co-create pedagogical approaches to overcome inequalities that health care learners experience in higher education.
Jane’s expert areas of teaching include advanced practice and psychosocial interventions. Prior to joining the University of Greenwich, Jane has worked as a mental health nurse in both inpatient and community settings.
Dr Mark Pearson, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham
Dr Mark Pearson is an associate professor in mental health at the University of Nottingham. Mark’s research focuses on mental health recovery, mental health nursing practice, and health humanities.
Mark Pearson (RNMH, NMP, BIA, MSc, PGCHE, SFHEA, PhD) is Assistant Professor of Mental Health at the University of Nottingham. Mark is the leads modules on research dissertation, public mental health, and narratives, literature and health.
Mark is the Co-lead for the 'Surviving by storytelling' managed innovation network established at the Institute of mental health. This project aims to explore and promote the therapeutic quality of poetry in relation to mental health.
Mark's recent research has been in the field of health humanities and has recently focused on exploring the therapeutic potential of poetry to support meaning making and recovery for those who have experienced what might be described as psychosis.
Clinical roles have covered both inpatient and community adult mental health services, the majority of this clinical career was spent working as a community mental health nurse, specialist care coordinator and non-medical prescriber within community mental health services.
The Research Group:
Fundamentally there are four activity streams to the meetings:
Stream one – To review pervious activities the group have been involved so that we do not lose a focus of what has and is being achieved.
Stream two – To focus on research priorities that can feed into NIHR and other national initiatives to influence research and research funding steams.
Stream three – The groups research focus will be focused on 2 main areas (1) To explore why the focus of curriculum subjects varies across the regions (there may be a sub section within this, given the emerging and varied interpretations of the proficiencies in the practice documents) (2) To conduct a literature review to develop a collaborative model for service user involvement in curriculum development and delivery in MH and all fields of nursing.
Stream four – To encourage the discussion of other research ideas and offer support and connection via the MHNAUK group.