Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust has become the latest acute hospital to partner with We Can Talk to provide access to their one-hour, evidence-based e-learning designed to build the confidence and skills of all hospital staff to support patients in a mental health crisis.
The launch was marked by a live event in the hospital restaurant, where over 70 staff signed up to begin the training within just a few hours. The We Can Talk team were joined on-site by one of their Lived Experience Advisors, creating space for meaningful conversations with staff across clinical and non-clinical roles.
“We’re excited to raise the profile of mental health support in our acute Trust by introducing this new offer to all staff — recognising that everyone plays a role in shaping the mental health culture of an organisation.”
— Anthony Gartland, Head of Nursing – Mental Health, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Pictured left to right: Ellen (Project Support Officer, We Can Talk), Anthony Gartland (Head of Nursing – Mental Health, Royal Surrey), Stuart (Lived Experience Advisor, We Can Talk)
We Can Talk is made up of three short modules focused on communication, safety, and empowerment — core themes shaped in partnership with hospital staff, mental health experts and people with lived experience of attending hospital in a mental health crisis. Staff hear directly from patients, as real-life stories lead learners through reflective, practical scenarios.
“It was a full circle moment for me — this was the first opportunity I’ve had to be in a hospital talking to staff in person about how my experience of coming to hospital in crisis forms part of this training.”
— Stuart, Lived Experience Advisor, We Can Talk
As part of their rollout, Royal Surrey has added a listing for the training to their internal learning platform, MyLearning, making it easier for staff to find and access the course. We Can Talk uses a dedicated platform — not standard SCORM-based e-learning — which allows for a more dynamic, video-led experience and built-in data tools for tracking uptake and completions.
Stuart, Lived Experience Advisor, alongside Royal Surrey staff at the We Can Talk launch stand.
“This training is about more than raising awareness — it’s about giving staff a practical, human-centred way to build confidence and support better patient care. We’re proud to partner with Royal Surrey to embed that across the whole hospital.”
— Robin Barker, CEO & Founder, We Can Talk
By bringing the training directly into their internal learning ecosystem and taking early steps to engage staff in person, Royal Surrey has demonstrated a clear commitment to placing mental health on equal footing with physical care — and making sure that everyone, regardless of role, is supported to play their part.
To find out more about We Can Talk, visit wecantalk.com.