National policy and standards

The Sussex Mindfulness Centre contributes to national initiatives that aim to increase the reach of mindfulness. 

Influencing Parliament

Sussex Mindfulness Centre is one of five partners that make up the Mindfulness Initiative. The Mindfulness Initiative was formed to support the UK Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group and conduct the Mindful Nation UK inquiry in 2014. The other organisations include Bangor, Oxford, and Exeter universities, Sussex Mindfulness Centre and the Mental Health Foundation.

The Mindfulness Initiative hosts meetings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Mindfulness which first met in Parliament in 2014. At that first APPG meeting they took testimony from members of staff and service users (including from Sussex Partnership) and this led to the publication of the Mindful Nation report.

Sussex Mindfulness Centre helped to organise the health events for the APPG and contributed to the health chapter in the Mindful Nation report. A number of Sussex Partnership Trust staff who participated and delivered Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy spoke as witnesses in parliament. 

British Association for Mindfulness-Based Approaches

As the availability of mindfulness-based interventions continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that the training and delivery of these approaches adhere to recognised standards supporting safe and ethical practice. British Association for Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA) was established in 2006. It is the lead organisation overseeing the quality of mindfulness-based teaching, training and supervising in the UK.

The Sussex Mindfulness Centre was among the first training centres to be recognised by the British Association of Mindfulness Based Approaches (BAMBA) and has twice provided the chair of its Board.