A mental health care scheme developed in Bradford is to be shared with international delegates

Kate Dale from the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) will be speaking at the 16th International Conference on Integrated Care in Barcelona next week about the scheme which is being rolled out across parts of Yorkshire and the Humber.

She has been invited to talk about her work in developing the Mental Health Physical Review Template and about its benefits for patients. She developed it by working with GPs and practice nurses initially trialling it in the Bradford area.

The template had the full support of the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with the district’s Clinical Commissioning Groups and it works by systematically guiding healthcare professionals through appropriate annual health checks which are now offered to all patients diagnosed with a severe mental illness.

In December 2015, the template was made available nationally through the SystmOne IT record keeping platform used by 2,700 GP practices, approximately a third of all practices in the country.

Figures show that up to the end of March 2016, the template had been used in 10,000 consultations and replicated and adapted locally over 150 times.

Ms Dale, who is a leading expert in integrated care, said: “Studies have shown that patients with serious mental illness are at risk of dying prematurely – in some cases 25 years earlier than the general population and this is why these health checks are so important. Many premature deaths are preventable and treatable if conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular problems are identified early.”

She added: “Results from the pilots we have already completed show a marked improvement in the quality and number of health assessments carried out for patients with a severe mental illness. This is helping to bring about a really positive change not only for patients but also for nursing staff and doctors.”