Membership of the network is open to all mental health and learning disability trusts in England that are already member organisations of the Confederation.

We currently have 71 members which include mental health trusts, independent sector members and PCTs that deliver NHS mental health services.

We are committed to involving members in developing and shaping our work programme and provide a range of involvement opportunities, including:

Member consultations:

• we regularly consult our members on key policy issues
  
  

Influencing policy:

• we work to represent members' interests and views at weekly meetings with government ministers, shadow health teams and other influential bodies
  
  

Shaping our annual mental health conference:

• we provide our members with the opportunity to decide the content and theme of our conference

'The MHN has and continues to play a critical role in ensuring that the mental health agenda not only remains in the sights and minds of policy makers, but that through the breadth and seniority of its membership its views are taken seriously'
Shaun Clee, Chief Executive, 2gether NHS Foundation Trust

Member benefits

We provide our members with a strong influencing voice in Government, parliament and the media, and ensure that they are kept up-to-date with the changing agenda.

We are currently actively engaged in informing and developing a number of initiatives with the Department of Health and others. As a member, there is substantial potential for your organisation to have its voice heard early on in the development of policy initiative.

Our members also benefit from:

• regular seminars, dinners and conferences to network and learn more about mental health and learning disability policy developments
• member forums with ministers and other keynote speakers
• access to specially prepared publications with up-to-date information on mental health issues
• regular information about the network's activities, through our website and the In Touch monthly bulletin.

We are always looking to strengthen our range of services to better support our members.

How to join

Mental health and learning disability providers that are member organisations of the NHS Confederation can also join the Mental Health Network.

The cost for joining the network for 2008/09 is a flat fee of £5,095 per year for all mental health and learning disability trusts. Please note that this is in addition to the NHS Confederation membership fee.

For more information about joining the Mental Health Network, please contact Christina Heap on 020 7074 3246 or at christina.heap@nhsconfed.org