Published on: 20 May 2026
Outstanding leadership and a commitment to compassionate healthcare have recently been recognised at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, with national praise for efforts to improve wards for both patients and staff. The Culture of Care programme, a key initiative supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. 
The Culture of Care standards for mental health inpatient care set out standards, co-produced with people with lived experience and their families, which supports all providers to focus on therapeutic relationships, staff wellbeing, and equality, ensuring settings are safe, compassionate, and fulfilling for both patients and staff.
Joe Thompson, Associate Director of Physical Health and Quality at Derbyshire Healthcare, has been recognised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and awarded the Culture of Care Leadership Recognition Award, for his commitment to implement and deliver the culture of care standards. The award highlights the role he played in sustaining collaboration, ensuring continued progress despite competing priorities.
Joe has worked with teams to increase engagement across participating wards. For example, Joe played a pivotal role in helping to recruit activity coordinators for the wards, addressing gaps quickly. This proactive approach of collaboration established an environment where wards were able to advance, experiment with, and sustain improvement initiatives.
Joe’s authentic and warm leadership style was described as providing support, empowerment and motivation to teams, particularly during challenging periods. The feedback highlighted that a culture of compassionate person-centred care and co-production demonstrated an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement within the Culture of Care programme.
Tumi Banda, Executive Director of Nursing, AHPs Quality and Patient Experience at Derbyshire Healthcare, said: “Joe has demonstrated outstanding leadership, strategic support and commitment in driving the Culture of Care programme across the Trust. He should be very proud of what he has achieved and the impact it has made on patients in our care.”
Joe was pleased to hear he has been recognised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He said: “I’m incredibly proud of the commitment our ward teams have shown to the Culture of Care programme. The ward teams have embraced co-production and implemented meaningful, patient and staff led improvements across their wards.
“It’s been important to listen to teams and support them to overcome barriers so they can focus on meaningful improvements for patients and colleagues. Despite the project officially ending in March 2026, I am committed to continuing this work and expanding the concept across the Trust to ensure compassionate, person-centred care remains at the heart of what we do.
