Physical health in patients with severe mental illness

The purpose of this training is to assist mental health nurses to reduce the mortality and promote good physical health for people with serious mental illness (SMI) in their care. The training consists of five modules which are 90 minutes long. The objectives for the attendees are listed below.

Session 1 – Why the physical health of people with SMI is our problem

• Understand why people with SMI are more likely to have a physical health problem.
• Be aware of the physical health problems experienced by this group that can be prevented.
• Recognise that they should consider the physical health of people with SMI in their care.

Session 2 – Physical health – keeping healthy

• Understand what is meant by physical health.
• Be aware of the behaviours that keep us physically healthy.
• Consider why it might be difficult for people with SMI to engage in healthy behaviour.

Session 3 – Supporting someone with SMI to be healthy

• To recognise a behaviour and an outcome.
• Understand how to assess readiness to change behaviour.
• Know how to respond to people at each stage of readiness.
• Feel able to support people to change their behaviour using a structured approach.

Session 4 – The annual health check

• Be aware of their responsibility regarding monitoring when a person has started taking antipsychotic medication.
• Consider how best to organise a health check in their organisation.
• Understand what elements are included in a health check.
• Be motivated to make changes in practice which will enable people with SMI in their care to be monitored appropriately.

Session 5 – How can we make the physical health of a person with SMI part of our everyday care?

Feel motivated to:

• Assist their organisation to fulfil its responsibilities regarding physical health monitoring.
• Ensure patients with SMI have acute physical health issues dealt with appropriately in a timely manner.
• Assess the support available in their organisation to patients with SMI to manage their long-term physical conditions.
• Find ways to provide the support required by patients with SMI to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

To book or enquire, please contact us.

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