National CQUIN Incentives to Encourage Physical Health Checks for Mental Health Patients (BBC News / NHS England)

Summary

Mental health patients tend to die from physical health problems around 15 years earlier than the general population. To help overcome these health inequalities, mental health trusts will be paid for performing assessments of the general physical condition and lifestyle of psychiatric patients. Mental health trusts are to receive CQUIN financial rewards for providing these “lifestyle MOTs” (checking factors such as smoking, diet, weight, blood pressure, glucose and fats / lipids) for patients, in addition to assessing their psychological health. Ensuring that both identified physical and mental illnesses are treated is expected to reduce avoidable deaths.

NHS England has estimated that mental health trusts could earn £200,000 per year by performing these checks.

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Reference

Buchanan, M. (2014). Psychiatric patients to receive physical health checks. London: BBC Health News, May 15^th 2014.

This relates to:

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Reference

Mental health staff to introduce physical ‘MOT’ to reduce deaths. London: NHS England, May 15^th 2014.