Charity Rethink Mental Illness launches new physical health campaign
By Ian Birch
People with severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, die up to 20 years younger than the national average, according to Rethink Mental Illness.
The charity has launched its second physical health improvement campaign in response to its findings, which it hopes will improve people's physical wellbeing and ultimately their life expectancy.
Medication such as anti-psychotics can play a hugely detrimental role in the health of people with severe mental illnesses -- continual weight gain and diabetes being among two of the commonest side effects.
The new resources have been developed in collaboration with mental health professionals and experts, and include a free, easy-to-use e-learning training package which is designed to highlight the key physical health risks that affect people with mental illnesses. It will also help mental health professionals approach these concerns with patients.
Rethink Mental Illness also developed and piloted the Physical Health Check (PHC), a tool designed to help professionals monitor people's physical health and develop plans to address any issues. Some NHS Trusts have already implemented the the PHC and mine carries them out annually.
Paul Jenkins, Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said: “We are delighted to launch these resources, which we hope will equip mental health professionals with the knowledge and awareness needed to deal with people's physical health needs.
“It really is a disgrace that people with severe mental illness die on average twenty years younger, mostly from preventable physical illnesses and it is a problem that urgently needs to be addressed. We hope that by encouraging professionals to use these resources, we can start to reduce the number of people with mental illness whose physical health is overlooked”.
The new Physical Health check tools are free to use, and can be accessed at http://www.rethink.org/phc
