Mental Health Nursing meets the mental/physical health project lead at Academic Health Science Network and Yorkshire & Humber NHS Bradford District Care Trust

@KatedaleSMI

What is the biggest challenge you are facing at the moment?

There is a plethora of evidence that patients with serious mental illness (SMI) are likely to die prematurely from physical health problems in some cases up to 15 years earlier than the general population. The main causes of premature death include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.

Managing patients with SMI can be extremely complex and challenging due to the nature of the illness. People with SMI can experience chaotic lifestyles, lack of support, low income, risky behaviour and often frightening experiences.

I began to take an interest in the physical health of patients with SMI as far back as 2003, when the evidence was becoming clear that this population are likely to die prematurely from physical ill health.

My biggest challenge has been, and continues to be, the lack of clarity over who is responsible between primary and secondary care for the physical health of patients with SMI, and avoiding duplication and overlap.

We are also challenged with working on various clinical systems that don’t speak to each other and this is a national interoperability problem across the NHS.