At SIG, we support people who are often overlooked by mainstream systems, those experiencing homelessness, mental ill-health, substance use, involvement with the criminal justice system, and other complex challenges. Every day, our teams see how health inequalities appear in real life. They’re not just numbers in a report; they’re the missed appointments, the untreated conditions, the people who feel invisible when they walk into a clinic.

But the barriers aren’t always external. Many of the people we support carry the weight of past experiences, times they were dismissed, judged, or misunderstood by professionals. These experiences can create deep, self-imposed barriers to seeking help. Some avoid medical settings altogether, fearing they won’t be believed or will be treated with suspicion and stigma. In doing so, they miss out on diagnoses that could save their lives or significantly improve their quality of life.

As Veronica Claridi, SIG Penrose and SIG Equinox Community Care & Support Service Manager, explains: “In our work supporting individuals through mental health crises, we continue to witness the deep-rooted health inequalities that disproportionately affect black communities… These disparities are not just statistics—they reflect real lives impacted by systemic barriers.”

She highlights how black women’s distress is too often misread as aggression. These misjudgements delay care and deepen mistrust, which has been built over years and generations of being unheard, unseen, and underserved.

As Kasturi Torchia, Psychologist and Psychological Lead at SIG, puts it: “Health inequalities are not just about access to services—they’re about the cumulative psychological toll of being unheard, unseen, and underserved… Health inequalities are often invisible until we listen closely to the stories behind the statistics.” That’s why our work – and our partnerships – matter so much.

We hear stories from staff all the time: a service resident who couldn’t get a GP appointment because they didn’t have a fixed address, someone was discharged from hospital with nowhere to go, or a person with a learning disability misunderstood by medical staff, leading to a delay in care. These examples are heartbreaking, but remind us of why we must keep pushing for change.

We’re proud of the collaborative projects we’ve been part of. One recent example is our work with the NHS North West London Integrated Care Board and RM Partners NW and SW London Cancer Alliance, where we co-created a series of educational videos to help improve cancer screening uptake among people with complex needs. These videos were shaped by the voices of SIG’s service residents and participants, and they’re now being used across our services to support open, honest conversations about cancer.

It’s a simple idea, but it’s already making a difference.

Another excellent example of collaboration is SIG Penrose STEPS in Luton, delivered in partnership with Luton Council and the Dunstable Hospital Trust. It supports people who are medically fit for discharge but don’t have safe accommodation. By helping them find housing and wraparound support, we’re improving individual outcomes and helping hospitals reduce bed blocking and free up resources. It’s a great example of how social care and health services can work hand-in-hand.

Another strong case is the SIG Penrose Community Rehabilitation Service (CRS) in London, which provides specialist intensive rehabilitation to support individuals after hospital discharge. In partnership with South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust, it helps people transition to less supported accommodation by bridging clinical and community care, delivering intensive, personalised interventions that improve recovery outcomes and help reduce hospital readmissions.

We also see huge potential in training and awareness. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on learning disabilities and autism is a step forward in making healthcare more inclusive. We’d love to see more joint training between NHS teams and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations like ours. When frontline staff understand the realities of homelessness, trauma, or the criminal justice system, they’re better equipped to offer compassionate, person-centred care.

There are so many opportunities to build on this momentum.

Imagine what we could do together with:

  • Mobile health outreach teams visiting hostels and supported housing.
  • Peer-led health education, where people with lived experience help others navigate the system.
  • Shared data systems that allow health and social care teams and VCSE providers to coordinate support more effectively.
  • Culturally competent services designed with communities, not just for them.

We know these ideas work because we’ve seen them work. But we also know we can’t do it alone. As Kasturi Torchia reminds us: “Equity in mental health care should not be a luxury; it’s a necessity for a more just society… We must challenge the structures perpetuating exclusion and embed equity into every layer of our systems.”

So we’re inviting commissioners, NHS trusts, local authorities and other partners to join us. Let’s keep talking, listening, and building services that truly meet people where they are without judgment, without assumptions, and with the empathy and dignity everyone deserves.

If you’re interested in collaborating, learning more, or sharing your ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can make health and care more equal, compassionate and human.