Health providers should use the available system levers  to reduce obesity and increase physical activity levels. Health promotion programmes that support people to manage their weight and increase activity levels are now well established and highly effective. However, the system needs to increase awareness of this higher risk for people living with serious mental illness […]

People living with serious mental illness (SMI) are at greater risk of becoming overweight and experiencing associated health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, contributing to low quality of life. Overweight and obesity rates in people with SMI have been reported to be between 46% and 79% [1]. Causes of obesity are multifactorial. Those […]

While the need to do more within acute trusts to address the Serious Mental Illness (SMI) mortality gap is widely documented, not all hospitals are equipped with expert staff able to assess and care for people with mental ill health skillfully – and compassionately – whilst supporting and training other hospital staff to do the […]

We need to ensure commissioning and provision of mental health liaison services [1] meets national quality standards and includes provision for users of both planned and unplanned care, in line with the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) report into Mental Health in General Hospitals: Treat as One) recommendations. Recommended actions to […]

Background information, recommendations actions and tools to improve the quality of services within acute trusts for those living with serious mental illness (SMI). There is an urgent need to support acute hospitals to improve understanding and change culture with regard to mental health. We need to ensure these public bodies meet their duties to those […]

This page highlights the importance of improving access to primary care services and interventions for people with serious mental illness. We need to provide accessible services for people with serious mental illness (SMI) which meet their needs, clearly monitoring and addressing health outcomes. Recommended actions to take Commission and provide reasonable adjustments within primary care […]

We need to support the development of a confident and competent primary mental health workforce. Recommended actions to take Increase the number of mental health workers, in line with the Health Education England (HEE) Mental Health Workforce Plan for England. This could include specialist General Practitioner (GP) roles – including GPs with a Special Interest […]

Understanding roles & responsibilities, utilising connections & building relationships to better respond to the physical health needs of people who have a serious mental illness (SMI). We need to develop systems and working relationships that promote joint-accountability. There is a lack of a joined-up care across mental health, primary care and social care to deliver coherent […]

We need to redesign, adjust or develop services to integrate and improve care, better supporting people living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Delivering responsive, personalised and evidence-based care is vital. This is particularly important for people with long-term conditions, in order to reduce disease complications, unplanned admissions and improve self-management. We need to ensure all […]

This page offers background information, recommendations and actions to take to improve the availability and accessibility of primary care services for those living with serious mental illness. A third of those living with serious mental illness (SMI) receive all of their care from primary care (1), and the majority get at least some of their […]