Mental Health in Scotland: Improving the Physical Health and Well Being of those Experiencing Mental Illness

Recommendations

Recommendations for best outcomes are as follows:

1. Community Health Partnerships ( CHPs) must; raise awareness among staff, Partner Organisations, service users and carers of the increased rate and poorer outcomes of common physical illnesses in people with severe mental health problems; and must provide this population group with lifestyle and other health promotion interventions within the context of their Health Promotion Strategies and local health improvement programmes.

2. General Practices on an annual basis should use existing processes to review and support improvements to the physical health of those with severe mental illness. Findings should be recorded and communicated to all interests to ensure appropriate follow up where required.

3. CHPs, Mental Health Services, Partner Organisations and acute care services should remove barriers to accessing care and ensure non-discriminatory delivery of care to people with severe mental health problems.

4. When following the standards for Integrated Care Pathways, Mental Health Services must make or co-ordinate arrangements for the additional screening of patients whose treatment requires that they receive more than an annual review, or lithium monitoring, in primary care.

5. The Scottish Government Mental Health Division will work with the 'Keep Well' programme to identify opportunities to integrate initiatives such as this with local Mental Health Services in order to widen opportunities for this population group during 2008 and beyond and will build on the work that will be taken forward by the Royal College of General Practitioners Living Better project in relation to diabetes, coronary heart disease and depression.

6. CHPs, Mental Health Services, acute services and Partner Organisations involved in health promotion and health screening activity for people with severe mental illnesses should be able to evidence improvement in physical health in those with mental health problems through robust monitoring and review arrangements including audit, Integrated Care Pathways ( ICPs) or other means of validation and tracking of variances in care.

7. The training and education of all who provide care and treatment to people with severe mental health problems should embrace a holistic approach, with a focus on recovery, and reflect an understanding of the inherent interactions between the mind/brain and the rest of the body.

Successful implementation of the recommendations will be founded on the availability of the right response, at the right time, with appropriate follow up.