Celebrating Mental Health Nurses Day 2026
Mental Health Nurses' Day is celebrated annually on 21 February to recognise the essential, compassionate care provided by mental health nurses.
The special day was Initiated by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in 2019, to raise awareness, debunk stereotypes and promote the specialty as a rewarding career, highlighting the vital role mental health nurses play in patient recovery, community support, and specialised care across ward and community settings.
NSFT’s Chief Nurse Anthony Deery is registered as a general nurse and mental health nurse. He has worked at executive director level across clinical, managerial, commissioning and regulatory roles in mental health and social care systems, in the UK and United States.
He said: “Mental health nursing is an incredible career, which has given me the chance to meet some amazing people in many and varied roles, many of whom have dedicated their life to helping and supporting vulnerable people.
“I am constantly impressed with our nursing staff and their continued hard work to do their utmost to help our service users. This day is all about raising awareness of this profession's impact and the need for more mental health nurses, and I would encourage anyone looking at a career in the NHS to find out more.”
Here we talk to four of our mental health nurses across services, who are at different points in their career.
Lorraine Mlambo
Lorraine Mlambo is celebrating 20 years as a mental health nurse with NSFT. Starting her career with the Access and Assessment Team in Ipswich, Lorraine is now a Senior Primary Mental Health Nurse with the Link Worker Service and says her journey with the NSFT has been one of growth, learning and deep purpose: “Working across inpatient wards, community mental health services, Access and Assessment Team, Crisis teams and within GP surgeries now as primary mental health care has all allowed me to support people at their most vulnerable moments and witness the power of compassion, hope, and recovery.
“Each role has shaped who I am as a practitioner and reinforced my belief in the life-changing impact of mental health care and the importance of sharing experience to inspire, support, and guide others within the NHS.
“To those new to the NHS, I hope my journey shows that mental health nursing is not just a career but a privilege - one that offers constant learning, resilience, and the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives every day.”
Phillip Lekanyang
New to mental health nursing within NSFT is Phillip Lekanyang. Beginning his career as a Clinical Support Worker in 2013, Phillip’s journey has been one of gradual growth, self-reflection and resilience.
Phillip went on to complete the Assistant Practitioner course and a degree in Health Studies, where he developed a strong foundation in person-centred care and gained first-hand experience of supporting people during some of their most vulnerable moments.
It was on this journey that Phillip recognised his desire to develop his clinical knowledge and leadership skills to pursue the postgraduate Mental Health Nursing programme, and he is now part of the Rollesby Ward team at Hellesdon Hospital.
Phillip’s motivation was rooted in a strong belief in himself and a deep commitment to caring for individuals experiencing mental health crises. He said: “Growing up, I witnessed members of my family in Botswana struggling with mental health difficulties. Seeing their distress left a lasting impression on me and these early experiences helped me understand how profoundly mental illness can affect individuals, families, and communities, particularly where access to timely and specialist support is limited.
“Mental health nursing offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and communities affected. It is a calling that demands dedication and compassion, and those who embrace it will find their journey filled with growth and impact.”
Phoebe Atieno
Phoebe Atieno has devoted her career to mental health services, working across a range of settings and developing clinical and leadership expertise.
She is a Nurse Consultant in the Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) at City Anchorage. She is also a specialist public health practitioner with master’s in public health.
She said: “I chose mental health nursing because it allows me to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives while also supporting and developing others. The Nurse Consultant role enables me to influence practice at both a clinical and strategic level, ensuring nursing leadership remains central to delivering high-quality, compassionate care at NSFT.”
Phoebe has been in her current post for four years, following extensive experience in senior mental health nursing and leadership roles over the past 26 years as well as additional qualification in MSc ACP, MSc Public Health and independent nurse prescribing.
“Around 60% of my time devoted to direct clinical care and supporting the CMHT with complex assessments and treatment planning, the remaining part of my role focuses on research, strategic leadership, and service development in line with the four national pillars of Nurse Consultant practice (clinical expertise, leadership, education, and research). This enables me to contribute to innovation, quality improvement, and the longer-term sustainability of the service.”
“As the Nurse Consultant role continues to develop across the region, there are opportunities to further strengthen role clarity, recognition, and sustainable ways of working within community services. The NSFT Advanced Nurse Strategy currently under way provides a positive framework to support this development, helping to clarify career pathways, strengthen professional identity, and ensure advanced nursing roles are well embedded, supported, and valued across the organisation.”
Angie North
ADHD nurse Angie North is celebrating 40 years with the NHS.
She began her nursing career on 13 January 1986 as a student learning disability nurse at North Lincolnshire School of nursing.
Since then, Angie has seen many changes including the closure of long-stay hospitals and the move to community services, where she was involved in the commissioning and management of medium secure services.”
She said: “I have enjoyed a long and varied career and I have met some truly inspirational people who have encouraged me throughout my career. It has been an absolute privilege to work with people who are often at their most vulnerable and support them on their recovery journey.”
Angie’s experience has included ward manager in a high secure hospital, where her focus was on culture change and service development.
And following a move to Norfolk in 2002, prompted by a holiday in Hunstanton, she discovered a passion for offender health, working in local prisons, receiving a governor’s commendation for her leadership and commitment to staff development, before going onto commission an award-winning substance misuse service.
Angie has worked for NSFT for 14 years in the Trust’s low secure services, the alcohol and drug service and, most recently, in the adult ADHD service as a clinical nurse specialist and non-medical prescriber.
And she doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Angie is currently undertaking an MSc in advanced professional practice and looking forward to continuing her career with NSFT.
Outside of work and study Angie is a proud mum and new grandma, with her daughter, Lucy, following her footsteps and working for NSFT.