Webinar: Session 1: Welcome to the NHS APA Conference 2025 by NHS APA

About This Webinar

Welcome to the NHS APA 2025 Virtual Conference titled Breaking Barriers: How Stigma Undermines Support and Connection - And What We Can Do About It.

In this session, our Chair, Danny Hames, will open the conference and introduce our keynote speaker, Mel Ball.

Mel will also be joined by our expert panel, Darren Murinas and Ben Parker, to answer questions from our online delegates. The session will conclude at approximately 10.25am.

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Presenters

Danny Hames

NHS APA Chair

Danny Hames has 18 years’ experience working in the public and voluntary sectors, within criminal justice, long-term conditions and the drug and alcohol treatment sector. He has worked as a Practitioner, Operational Manager and Head of Development. In September 2018 he became the Head of Inclusion which is part of the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. Inclusion is the largest NHS provider of drug and alcohol services in England working in both prisons and the community. Inclusion also provides sexual health and Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services. Danny is an accredited PRINCE2 and MSP Practitioner and holds a PG Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Policy and a MA in Voluntary Sector Studies.

Danny initiated and is a founding member of the NHS Substance Misuse Provider Alliance which was founded in 2016. This is a collaboration of thirteen NHS trusts that provide drug and alcohol treatment services with the aim of supporting and developing best practice in the sector, this included, with Collective Voice producing “Improving Clinical Responses to Drug Related Deaths Best Practice Guidelines (April 2017)”. The NHS APA also aims to provide an NHS treatment service voice to the benefit of the sector and as part of this runs annual conferences. The NHS APA currently works in over 50 prisons and 35 community services across England. NHS APA is currently establishing an initiative across 12 NHS trusts in England to eliminate Hepatitis C. Danny is the current chair of the NHS APA.

Darren Murinas

CEO at Expert Citizens

Darren Murinas is Chief Executive of Expert Citizens CIC, also a trustee of the Lankelly Chase Foundation and Together Active, Chair of the Changing Futures project board (Stoke-on-Trent) and Independent Chair of the Multi-Agency Resolution Group (MaRG). He has been working with local and national media outlets such as BBC Radio Stoke, BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio 4 listening project, Victoria Derbyshire show, the Guardian and the Huffington Post. Recently he also spoke at a TEDx event hosted by the University of Staffordshire. Darren is a national facilitator working with organisations like MEAM, Homeless Link, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Virgin Money Foundation, The Centre for Knowledge and Equity and many more, where he is recognised as an expert in co-production. He has worked alongside others over the last 10 years to bring in over £20 million worth of investment for people experiencing severe multiple disadvantage in Stoke-on-Trent. He is also a national speaker, using his own experience of severe and multiple disadvantage to challenge stereotypes and the traditional narrative, dispelling the myth that people experiencing some of the toughest social issues of our time are making a ‘lifestyle choice’.

Mel Ball

Director for Lived Experience at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Mel started her career employed as a peer worker in a therapeutic community and has been privileged to work in a diverse range of settings across a number of voluntary and statutory organisations. She has also worked extensively with health commissioners and, over many years, has contributed nationally and internationally as a public speaker, trainer, researcher, supervisor and consultant for a wide range of organisations and communities. In addition, she has taught at several universities on topics related to lived experience practice and peer work. Mel spent 5 years employed as the Head of Lived Experience Workforce at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust overseeing one of the country’s largest peer workforces prior to moving into her current role as Director for Lived Experience at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

Ben Parker

Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner

Ben Parker is an Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner within the Addictions Directorate at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL). Ben began his career as a Peer Worker in addictions and has since held roles as a Group Facilitator and Outreach Recovery Worker. In his current position, Ben oversees and supports all Peer Workers and co- leads service user involvement across the directorate. As a member of the Addictions Senior Management Team, Ben ensures that the lived experience voice is embedded in every aspect of the service’s work.