Support for People Living with Serious Mental Illness
We’ve known for a long time that people severely affected by mental illness are more likely to experience poor health outcomes and develop physical health conditions. This contributes towards higher rates of early death, with people severely affected by mental illness three and a half times more likely to die before the age of 75. We also know that a lot of this relates to the experience of living with a severe mental illness. For example, medication can affect physical health by causing changes in appetite and making it more challenging to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Things like food, cigarettes and alcohol can help people to cope.
Annual Physical Health Checks for People with Serious Mental Illness or SMI usually include anyone diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychosis and mental health conditions.
The Annual Physical Health Checks are designed to help people living with a severe mental illness and clinicians to pick up early signs of physical health issues such as diabetes, stroke or heart problems and take action before they become more serious.
Somerset Foundation Trust (SFT) has created a small team of specialist clinicians known as “Practitioner Assistants” based in Somerset’s four localities. They are linked to and work alongside GP practices to ensure that Physical Health Checks are completed with people who, for many different reasons, find it difficult or refuse to engage with generic health services and professionals.
The Community and Outreach Service works alongside SFT to support these individuals. Support from a Physical Health & Wellbeing Navigator is available for those who may find it difficult to engage with health clinicians and services.
1:1 Navigator Support is tailored, person-centred support. Navigators work with the client before, during and/or after the Physical Health Check.
- Before the Physical Health Check (PHC), this may involve working with them to identify their concerns about the health check itself or attending the appointment with them. It may also include exploring their barriers to engaging with clinical staff and services and taking steps forward to improve this.
- During the PHC, support the individual with the appointment.
- After the PHC, support the individual to process the outcome and possibly take actions to help improve their physical health and wellbeing, e.g. increase physical activity by assisting them to find a local walking group or helping them to access other relevant services.
If you would like more information about Community & Outreach Support, how to refer someone for support or hard copies of the SMI Physical Health Check leaflet, please email: PHCsomerset@rethink.org.
More information about the Annual Physical Health Checks can be found here: Physical Health Checks