Community Health and Fitness No 5.5 - CCG - Priority No 5 Physical and Mental Health Issues

Long-term physical conditions and mental health is embedded in the King's Fund Report's Priority No 5. It is argued that if the Clinical Commissioning Groups invest in managing this field substantial savings in NHS expenditures are possible. 

The Report points to the following possibilities:

• increasing the screening and monitoring for mental health needs of those with long-term health conditions;
• developing in a more systematic way the coding and recording of mental health needs;
• developing NICE recommended collaborative care models for those with depression and long-term health conditions
• developing local shemes for improving access to psychological therapy (IAPT) services;
• commissioning psychiatry liaison services in care homes, acute hospitals, etc.

Several on-line reference sources are given in the report.