Equally Well UK welcomes Kevin James as the new Expert by Experience Group Chair

Embargoed until 00.01 hours, 3 July 2020

Equally Well UK, a collaboration working towards equal physical health for people with a severe mental illness, is delighted to announce Kevin James as the new Chair of its Expert by Experience Group.

Kevin is a member of the Expert by Experience group and has over 25 years of experience in both using physical and mental health services as well as working with services and mental health foundation trusts.    

Kevin said “I am very pleased to be taking on this role. I am truly passionate & driven in drawing attention to the mortality gap that exists & the awful statistics that exist for those of us who have a severe mental illness alongside a long term physical health diagnosis. I am really looking forward to chairing the group and working closer with Equally Well partners.”

Equally Well UK is a collaboration between Centre for Mental Health, Rethink Mental Illness, an Expert by Experience group, a Clinical Group and more than 50 member organisations across the UK. All Equally Well member organisations have signed the Charter for Equal Health and committed to improving physical health support for people with a mental illness.

Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive, Centre for Mental Health said “We are delighted to welcome Kevin James as the new Chair of the Expert by Experience Group Equally. Kevin has worked closely with us over the years focusing on inequalities for people with severe mental illness and has extensive experience and knowledge that we will benefit from enormously as we continue our shared campaign for equal health.”