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This conference takes a practical case study based approach to assessing, monitoring and improving the physical health outcomes of people with serious mental illness. There is a focus on integrated working, and through learning from organisations that have succeeded in addressing the challenge of improving the physical health of people with mental health conditions.
The conference will also learn from the experience of an early implementer of the National Community Transformation Programme which The Long Term Plan describes as a “new community-based offer [that] will include access to psychological therapies, improved physical health care, employment support, personalised and trauma-informed care, medicines management and support for self harm and coexisting substance use… and proactive work to address racial disparities.”
People with severe mental illness in the UK die on average 15-20 years earlier than the general population. This is often a result of preventable physical health conditions caused by side-effects of medication, such as weight gain, or factors that help people to manage their illness, like smoking. This is especially concerning given that lifestyle factors including weight appear to be emerging risk factors for developing more severe cases of COVID-19.
The Long Term Plan is committed to taking “a more concerted and systematic approach to reducing health inequalities and addressing unwarranted variation in care”. For example, the life expectancy of people with severe mental health problems can be up to 20 years less than the general population. By 2023/24, the NHS Long Term Plan commits that at least 390,000 people with severe mental health problems will have their physical health needs met.”
This conference will enable you to:
• Network with colleagues working to improve the physical health outcomes for people with mental health conditions
• Reflect on the lived experience
• Understand the impact of lockdown and Covid-19 and how the pandemic requires to evolve ways of working
• Learn from established practice in the assessment and management of physical health conditions
• Ensure you are up to date with national developments including the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme and Framework
• Understand and reflect on what you need to do to bring together physical and mental health
• Update your knowledge on national developments including the impact
• Ensure every person under your care receives effective assessment and monitoring of physical health needs
• Understand how you can support people to improve physical health and the impact on personal recovery journeys
• Develop your skills in screening, assessment, treatment and monitoring
• Improving physical health outcomes for older people with SMI
• Understand how you can improving and monitoring the physical health of those with Schizophrenia
• Identify key strategies for improvement smoking cessation
• Reflect on how we can improve physical health outcomes for older adults with serious mental illness
• Self assess and reflect on your own practice
• Gain CPD accreditation points contributing to professional development and revalidation evidence
