Rebecca Gray

Who Rebecca Gray is

Rebecca Gray is Director of the Mental Health Network at the NHS Confederation, a post she took up in January 2025. The Mental Health Network represents providers from across the statutory, independent and third sectors and works with government, regulators and the wider NHS to promote excellence in mental health services. She was previously chief executive of Maudsley Charity from 2016, the largest dedicated mental health fund in the UK, where she worked in partnership with South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London. Before that she served as Director of Communications and Information at The King's Fund, having joined from Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts, and earlier held senior communications roles at the Healthcare Commission and the Alzheimer's Society. She has publicly called for a four-week national access target for children and young people's mental health services and for a cross-government mental health strategy that links mental health to wider social determinants.

References for this biography

1. 1.Rebecca Gray | NHS Confederation — Confirms current role as Director of the Mental Health Network and career history including Maudsley Charity, The King's Fund, the Alzheimer's Society and healthcare regulators
2. 2.NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network appoints new director | NHS Confederation — Confirms appointment date (January 2025), background, and quotes from NHS Confederation chair and other leaders on appointment
3. 3.Maudsley Charity Chief Executive steps down – Maudsley Charity — Confirms Gray led Maudsley Charity since 2016 for almost nine years before joining the NHS Confederation
4. 4.Rebecca Gray | The King's Fund — Confirms role at The King's Fund joined from Monitor (NHS foundation trust regulator); prior six years at Healthcare Commission; head of press at Alzheimer's Society 1997–2001
5. 5.Mental health performance target needed to address 'appalling treatment gap' | The NHS Alliance — Evidences Gray's public policy advocacy for a four-week children and young people's mental health access target
6. 6.The NHS Alliance welcomes cross-government mental health strategy — Evidences Gray's public response to the government's mental health strategy Call for Evidence
7. 7.Rebecca Gray – Design in Mental Health — Independent speaker biography confirming appointment date, Maudsley Charity tenure, King's Fund and Alzheimer's Society career history
8. 8.London office | NHS Confederation — Confirms NHS Confederation head office address: 2nd Floor, 18 Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3HZ, and organisational enquiries email

Notable achievements

• Appointed Director of the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network in January 2025, succeeding Sean Duggan OBE who led the network for six years. Source ↗
• Led Maudsley Charity as chief executive from 2016 for almost nine years, overseeing its position as the largest dedicated mental health fund in the UK. Source ↗
• Publicly called for a new four-week NHS mental health performance target for children and young people, following a major NHS Confederation conference for over 200 mental health leaders. Source ↗
• Welcomed the government's cross-government mental health strategy Call for Evidence, publicly urging that the strategy reflect NHS provider delivery and address access for all children and adults. Source ↗

What Rebecca Gray has said

• “Local health leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place. They understand the anguish and frustration caused by long delays in the system as people wait for assessments, treatment and support. But in working to meet rising demand they face soaring costs that are running out of control.”

  director of the NHS Alliance's mental health network · NHS waiting lists · 29 Sept 2026 · ADHD and autism costs in England ‘running out of control’, NHS leaders warn ↗

• “The CQC's survey findings offer some grounds for encouragement. But too many people face long waits for help, with a risk that their mental health may deteriorate, requiring more intense and expensive care”

  director of the Mental Health Network at the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers · Adult social care & reform · 8 Sept 2026 · CQC survey suggests experiences of mental health care ‘improving’ ↗

• “Too often young people with mental illness end up going to hospital emergency departments and [are] facing very long waits in an inappropriate or even harmful setting. This is bad for patients and staff.”

  director of the NHS Alliance's mental health network · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Children in mental health crisis waiting up to three days in A&E for specialist bed in England ↗

• “It is vital that Jewish staff and patients feel safe at work, are able to practise and seek treatment without fear of prejudice or abuse, and are provided with the respect and dignity we all deserve.”

  director at the NHS Alliance · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · NHS to curb political symbols on uniforms after antisemitism report ↗

Where Rebecca Gray has been quoted

1. NHS bosses warn of chaos in ADHD and autism carebbc.co.uk · 30 Sept 2026
2. ADHD and autism costs in England ‘running out of control’, NHS leaders warntheguardian.com · 29 Sept 2026
3. CQC survey suggests experiences of mental health care ‘improving’nursingtimes.net · 8 Sept 2026
4. Children in mental health crisis waiting up to three days in A&E for specialist bed in Englandtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
5. NHS to curb political symbols on uniforms after antisemitism reporttheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026

Related media coverage

Recent UK press coverage of their topics — not necessarily citing them directly.

• Leaders in Care Awards 2026 | Lifetime Achievement: Care Homes winner revealedHome Care Insight
• GP architect of neighbourhood health reforms to leave NHS EnglandPulse Today
• An important step forward in ending corridor care - Colin Poolman | Blog | RCN ScotlandRoyal College of Nursing

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.nhsconfed.org/people/rebecca-gray
• Press office emailenquiries@nhsconfed.orgpublished here ↗

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.