Four medical royal colleges have launched a
new website giving health professionals easy access to clinical
resources to support the provision of integrated physical and
mental health care.
A strong body of evidence shows that mental
illness is associated with poor physical health. People with mental
illness die on average 5-10 years younger than the general
population, and people with medical unexplained symptoms account
for around 20% of new presentations in primary care. In children
and young people with a physical health problem, the rate of mental
health disorders is more than doubled. Yet it can be hard for
clinicians to find the right information to help them address these
issues.
The Improving
Physical and Mental Health website has been produced by
the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Paediatrics
and Child Health, Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of
General Practitioners. It provides links to key resources for
supporting the physical health of people with mental health
problems and learning difficulties, and supporting the mental
health of people with physical health problems.
Created with funding from the Academy of
Medical Royal Colleges, the site signposts a manageable selection
of key resources, including clinical guidance, screening and
monitoring tools, information on service models that integrate
physical and mental healthcare, and further reading.
It has sections on long term conditions,
medically unexplained symptoms, physical health in adults with
mental illness, and children and young people.
Professor Linda Gask, Professor of Primary
Care Psychiatry and Editor of the website, said: “Physical and
mental health are inextricably linked. This website will be of
interest to psychiatrists, paediatricians, GPs and other doctors,
as well as to patients and commissioners of health services and
brings together a wealth of resources in one easily accessible
place.”
The website has been reviewed by panels of
expert clinicians, who will continue to update and develop the site
on an ongoing basis.
For further information, please
contact:
Liz Leicester
or Deborah Hart in the Communications
Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127
References:
The Improving Physical and Mental Health website is: www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improvingpmh
Note to editors:
The website has been created by a working group comprising members from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of General Practitioners. It has been funded by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.