Commenting on the joint report between the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal Colleges of GPs, Nursing, Pathologists, Psychiatrists, Physicians, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Public Health England, Improving the physical health of adults with severe mental illness (SMI): essential actions, Dr Lance Sandle, Vice-President for Professionalism, The Royal College of Pathologists:
“People with severe mental illness are not getting the right tests at the right time to diagnose, manage and monitor their physical health. This leads to poorer health and exacerbates existing conditions.
This can be improved by better IT connectivity across healthcare organisations and by providing patients with a unique number which is recognised by all IT systems.
This will make it easier for healthcare staff to flag when a person with severe mental illness needs a vital pathology test to manage their physical health, leading to earlier diagnosis and swifter and more effective treatment.”
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