This page sets out basic recommendations of the types of information to give people with serious mental illness to help inform their decisions that can improve their physical health.
Too little information is currently given to service users – for example, information about using psychiatric medications and their side effects, self-management and other supporting resources. Giving people more information they can easily understand would support them to make informed decisions regarding their mental and physical health care and lead to better health outcomes.
- Involve service users and carers in the design and delivery of systems for the annual health check, including peer support to enhance attendance and benefits from the assessment.
- Use peer support roles to encourage service users to attend their appointments.
- Use peer mentoring to support people to take up opportunities to improve their physical health.
Tools to help you
- Rethink: 20 years too soon report. Rethink’s report on physical health experiences of people who use mental health services and their carers and families. It sets out challenges and recommendations.