Organisations in Sheffield (including the NHS, Sheffield City Council, and the voluntary/community sector) have been working to improve how they support people living with severe mental illness, learning disabilities, and autistic spectrum condition, to be healthier. 

We recognise that in Sheffield (the same as for nationally) people living with severe mental illness, learning disabilities, and autistic spectrum condition often have poorer physical health than other people.  Many of the long-term physical health conditions that people are more likely to have can be avoided or better managed if they are identified earlier.

Poorer physical health for people living with these conditions may be caused by a range of factors including:

• Difficulties in accessing treatment
• Health behaviours, such as smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise
• Side effects of medication
• As a consequence of a being more likely to live in poverty, poor housing, or being socially isolated

We now have a draft Strategy for Sheffield which brings together the main things that we are already doing and sets out what we know we need to do to improve things further.

See the full version of the draft Improving the Physical Health of People in Sheffield Strategy here

 

We have based the Strategy on national research and good practice, as well as engagement with people in Sheffield who live with (or care for people with) the conditions covered by the Strategy, and with professionals working across health, social care, and voluntary/community services.

As part of finalising the Strategy and helping organisations to prioritise and put plans into action, we’d like your views on the Strategy.

Things have changed so much for everyone since the Coronavirus pandemic, and so we would also like to take this opportunity to ask for feedback about how this has affected the physical health of people living with severe mental illness, learning disabilities, and autistic spectrum condition – so we can use this feedback to influence how we use the Strategy to help improve services and support in relation to this.

Complete the survey here

 

 Or download an easy read version of the survey below

If you would like to request a paper copy, a translated version, or would like to complete the survey over the telephone please email liz.tooke@nhs.net or call 07980 948809 to arrange.

Deadline for responses is 7 August 2020.