Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust - a clearer name for the care we provide

From Monday 13 October 2025, we became Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust.

This was more than a name change. It's part of a much wider programme of improvement, shaped by more than a year of listening and working side by side with patients, families, staff, partners and communities.

People told us our previous name - Kent and Medway NHS Social Partnership Trust (KMPT) - was confusing. Many didn’t realise we are the NHS specialist mental health provider for the whole of Kent and Medway, which we are proud to do. That confusion made it harder to find help, harder for professionals to refer to the right care and can add unnecessary stress when people are most in need.

Our new vision to help people not just live with mental illness, but live well – sets our ambition, shared by all who helped up create it, for the future.

Why are we doing this now?

• Clearer access to help, when it matters most. The 10 Year Health Plan calls for care that is joined-up, person-centred, and easier to navigate. A clear, plain language name makes is simpler for people to find the right mental health support early and for professionals to refer people to us with confidence.

• Part of a bigger improvement journey. Over the past year we’ve co-created new values – Caring, Inclusive, Curious and Confident – and launched our Doing Well Together improvement approach. This change is one step in improving safety, quality and patient experience across every service.

• Communications and experiences that reflect our values. This new identity is more than a name. It is a full reset of our identity that clearly explains our mission, vision, values and ambition – and ensures our communications and inclusive, accessible and welcoming for everyone who needs us and contacts us.

• Proud to stand for mental health and tackle stigma. Our new name says clearly that we are a mental health trust. We want people to know that mental health care is core NHS work and that someone’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. We want to actively help challenge the stigma that still stops some from seeking support and be proud of what we do and our staff.

• Facing our challenges openly. Like many NHS trusts, we know there are areas we must improve and we welcome our stakeholders – from patients, staff, partners and regulators – to challenge us to do better. Being honest about where we need to do better is important – and making it clear who we are and what we do is part of getting care right first time and improving outcomes. Our stakeholders told us this was important and so we listened and acted on their feedback and experience.

• Ready for the future. We are preparing to take on new services, including children and young people, and to deliver the 10 Year Health Plan’s focus on prevention and care closer to home. Clarity now helps us deliver those ambitions.

• We’re proud of what we do. to be the specialist NHS mental health provider for Kent and Medway. Our clearer new name helps people find the right care quickly and confidently and supports our wider improvement journey.

How does this benefit everyone?

• Easier to find help: so people reach the right support first time, avoiding delay and distress.

• Clarity is kindness: using words, images and designs that are accessible for everyone, and a name that says what we do

• Better experience: driven by our Caring, Inclusive, Curious and Confident values, which were co-developed in 2025.

• Supports long-term ambitions: aligns with the 10 Year Health Plan and our new Doing Well Together improvement approach.

More than a new name 

Our new identity isn’t just a name change and new logo. It’s a commitment: to make mental health care in Kent and Medway easier to find, easier to use and easier to trust. So people cannot just live with mental illness but live well.

Frequently asked questions