Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s (CWP) Mental Health Intensive Support Team (MHIST) have been awarded the Long-Term Impact Award at the prestigious Mental Health Awards 2025.

The team provides intensive rehabilitation for people with complex mental health needs and through personalised goals and outcome-focused interventions, supports people to regain independence, integrate back into their communities, and reduce reliance on inpatient services.

When the service was first developed, CWP communities faced challenges including high use of out-of-area rehabilitation placements, long stays in acute settings, and limited community options for people with complex needs. MHIST was created in collaboration with experts by experience, families, local Integrated Care Boards (ICB), Community Mental Health Teams, and Local Authorities to address these gaps and deliver better outcomes.

Since its launch, the service has grown from strength to strength. Currently, MHIST provides direct care to 72 patients – 94% of these patients were in a hospital setting when referred and now, 61% are living independently (or with family), 33% in supported living and 70% experiencing no hospital admissions since joining the service.

Dave Appleton, Head of Operations, Acute Care and First Response Services at CWP, said: “I am incredibly proud of CWPs MHIST Team for winning the Long-Term mental Health Impact award. This recognition highlights the teams sustained commitment to delivering high-quality person-centred care in an innovative way that supports the people they work with. This has not only transformed lives but also created lasting improvements across our services ensuring positive outcomes for service users and their families for years to come.”

Emily Coates, Peer Support Worker at MHIST added:
“It's a privilege to work in a team that is so dedicated to supporting people in their recovery. As part of my role, I gather feedback from people at the end of their time with MHIST, which gives me the opportunity to hear first hand about the impact our team has had on their lives. Every conversation is a reminder of what an honour it is to be part of someone's journey and to work alongside such committed colleagues.”

This award follows MHIST’s earlier win this year at The Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards which celebrates innovative and effective mental health services.