AN EVALUATION OF THE NORTHAMPTON PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING (PhyHWell) PROJECT
type: CreativeWork
description: Abstract Background The first study to demonstrate that life expectancy in patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) was reduced was by Farr in 1841. More recently, comparative research has demonstrated a higher level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the rest of the population in this group. Despite this knowledge, little has changed in routine practice. One barrier could be that the educational needs of the primary care healthcare professionals in this area are not being met. Aims The aim of this programme of research is to address the physical health needs of people with SMI by improving the practice of healthcare professionals in primary care. Methods The methods employed are the development of a training package and a programme of research divided into eight studies: 1. A retrospective audit to find out whether patients will attend for a health check if they are invited. 2. A prospective audit to see if a tool used for people with physical illnesses to improve their lifestyle (a food diary) is as effective when used with the SMI population. 3. A systematic search to find out what evidence there is for the efficacy of healthcare professional educational outcomes in studies of physical health in SMI. 5 4. The development of a training package for practice nurses to teach them how to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI. 5. A retrospective audit to establish whether as many people with SMI are being screened for cardiovascular disease as people with physical conditions in Northampton. 6. An audit to find out whether as many people with SMI are being screened for cardiovascular disease as people with physical conditions in England. 7. A before and after study to measure the effect of a physical health and SMI training on the practice nurses’ motivation to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI. 8. A before and after study to establish whether training practice nurses to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI increase…
abstract: Abstract Background The first study to demonstrate that life expectancy in patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) was reduced was by Farr in 1841. More recently, comparative research has demonstrated a higher level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the rest of the population in this group. Despite this knowledge, little has changed in routine practice. One barrier could be that the educational needs of the primary care healthcare professionals in this area are not being met. Aims The aim of this programme of research is to address the physical health needs of people with SMI by improving the practice of healthcare professionals in primary care. Methods The methods employed are the development of a training package and a programme of research divided into eight studies: 1. A retrospective audit to find out whether patients will attend for a health check if they are invited. 2. A prospective audit to see if a tool used for people with physical illnesses to improve their lifestyle (a food diary) is as effective when used with the SMI population. 3. A systematic search to find out what evidence there is for the efficacy of healthcare professional educational outcomes in studies of physical health in SMI. 5 4. The development of a training package for practice nurses to teach them how to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI. 5. A retrospective audit to establish whether as many people with SMI are being screened for cardiovascular disease as people with physical conditions in Northampton. 6. An audit to find out whether as many people with SMI are being screened for cardiovascular disease as people with physical conditions in England. 7. A before and after study to measure the effect of a physical health and SMI training on the practice nurses’ motivation to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI. 8. A before and after study to establish whether training practice nurses to carry out physical health checks for people with SMI increase…
author: Hardy, Sheila
language: en
date published: 2013-08
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:11:56Z
provider: University of East Anglia
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of East Anglia