Physical health checks for mental health patients
- 16 May
Mental health trusts will now be paid to carry out assessments of the physical condition and lifestyle of psychiatric patients.
The programme aims to reduce the number of mental health patients who die from heart, liver and lung disease. NHS England has said the scheme is the biggest initiative of its kind, reports the BBC.
The life expectancy of mental health patients is similar to people living in the 1950s due to physical health problems shortening their lives by about fifteen years earlier than the general population.
Assessments will look into a variety of indicators which will include the patients' diet, weight, blood pressure and whether they smoke. The first to be checked will be those on anti-psychotic drugs as the pills can lead to rapid weight gain, and some patients refuse to take the medication for that reason.
After the assessments have been carried out, the patient will be passed to another consultant or given education and advice on the appropriate ways to improve their physical health. NHS England has estimated that mental health trusts could earn an extra £200,000 this year from carrying out the checks.
Dr Geraldine Strathdee, NHS England's national clinical director for mental health, said: "We are committed to making sure that mental health is treated the same way as physical health, and NHS England is working hard to close the gap between the two. The national financial incentive we have introduced this year for trusts is the world's largest ever initiative in improving physical health in people with severe mental ill health conditions and will be a clinical quality game changer. Mental health staff in England are to carry out lifestyle checks on their patients to improve their physical health in an attempt to reduce avoidable deaths."
What do you think of this? Tweet us your comments @suppsolutions
Related articles
- 11 Sep
People in Bedfordshire can find mental health support through an audio guide
The guides have been written by clinical psychologists and are available to download in print or listen to as an audio file, reports Bedfordshire News.Dr Judy Baxter, Clinical Director with BCCG and...
- 10 Sep
Police officers in Dorset to receive mental health training
The partnership with the University comes as part of the county’s Mental Health Street Triage Project. It is hoped to equip officers with improved knowledge and skills to assess members of the...
- 09 Sep
People in Peterborough can refer themselves for mental health services
Through a drive to offer support to more people and ease pressure on doctors, people living in Peterborough can self-refer themselves to mental health services, reports Peterborough Today.Dr Adrian...
- 08 Sep
The first mental health centre for men
The site has been set up by Alex Eaton, whose dad took his own life and has suffered with mental health problems himself, in Burton upon Trent, reports BBC Newsbeat.Mr Eaton said: "We are the only...
- 07 Sep
NHS trust told no mental health beds available
Dr Bohdan Solomka has said that on Sunday a lack of beds were applied across the NHS and among private providers, reports the BBC. The director of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trusts...
- 07 Sep
Over 16,000 mental health referrals for young people have been rejected
Between July last year and June this year, data from the NHS has found that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services rejected 5,396 referrals, reports STV News.Over the last three years 16,565...
- 04 Sep
New mental health centre to open in Ardwick
Plans to build a new £6m treatment and recovery centre in Manchester have been revealed. It will be built in Ardwick and be run by Alternative Futures Group, reports the Manchester Evening...
- 03 Sep
Research finds more chance of re-offending if mental health issues are present
Research has found that ex-prisoners with mental health problems and drug and alcohol misuse are more likely to commit violent offences after release than other former prisoners, reports the...
- 02 Sep
Drop in the number of people with mental health issues held in cells
Recent figures have found that the Crisis Care Concordat has seen over 10,000 people receive care from mental health nurses with the support from police officers, reports the Burton Mail.Figures have...
- 02 Sep
Mental health social work scheme accepting applications
100 places are now available for applicants who have a 2:1 or above undergraduate degree and can demonstrate attributes such as resilience and empathy, reports Community Care.The Think Ahead...
What are the Future Funding Arrangements for Supported and Sheltered Housing? "Another informative session provided by Support Solutions, excellent session" P.R. - Wrekin Housing Trust
