The Mental Health Providers' Forum (MHPF) is a charity and the representative body for voluntary sector mental health organisations in England and Wales, working nationally and regionally to influence practice and policy. It aims to improve the range and quality of mental health services by increasing the involvement of the voluntary sector in delivering them, working in partnership with government agencies.[1] Specific projects include evaluating psychological therapies and promoting tools for assessing recovery.
MHPF developed from meetings of the chief executives of the leading mental health charities, and was registered as a company in 2005. The membership of the Forum consists of the voluntary sector organisations. The current Chief Executive is Dr Ian McPherson, who was previously Director of the National Mental Health Development Unit.[2] The first Chief Executive of the Forum was Judy Weleminsky who led the organisation from December 2005 to January 2011. She was previously chief executive of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (now Rethink), the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Community Matters.[3]