Opportunities for Better Integration of Physical and Mental Health (King’s Fund)

Summary

The NHS Five Year Forward View touched upon the importance of better integration between physical and mental health services. Building on the NHS England Mental Health Taskforce’s recommendations, the following King’s Fund report explores this “integration frontier” in more detail. It highlights ten broad opportunities for improving quality and simultaneously controlling costs:

1. Incorporation of mental health in public health programmes.
2. Improving physical health among people with severe mental illnesses.
3. Improving management of medically unexplained symptoms in primary care.
4. Improving the physical health needs of people with severe mental illnesses in primary care.
5. Supporting the mental health of people with long-term conditions.
6. Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of carers.
7. Supporting mental health in acute hospitals.
8. Improving physical health in mental health inpatient facilities.
9. Provision of integrated support for perinatal mental health.
10. Supporting the mental health of people in residential homes.

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Reference

Naylor, C. Das, P. [and] Ross, S. [et al] (2016). Bringing together physical and mental health: a new frontier for integrated care. London: King’s Fund, March 7^th 2016.