Managing the physical health needs of service users

People with mental disorders and disabilities have a higher risk of poor physical health, and higher mortality and morbidity rates than the rest of the population. Evidence suggests that physical health can be enhanced by improved monitoring and lifestyle interventions at the point of contact and that nurses and other healthcare professionals can contribute greatly to this process. Despite extensive research into the physical health of people with a severe mental illness, little literature exists that illustrates the service user's perspective on how they meet their own physical health needs and access services. This became the justification and focus for the small-scale pilot study that follows.