Project linking physical and mental health shortlisted for major award

A pioneering project which links mental and physical healthcare has been shortlisted in the prestigious Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.   

IMPARTS (Integrating Physical & Mental Healthcare: Research, Training and Services) has been shortlisted in the HSJ Awards’ Innovation in Mental Health category for its work providing joined up mental and physical healthcare to our patients and service users.

Many people with long term physical health conditions also have a mental illness, and people with severe mental illness die an average of 15-20 years younger than someone without, often due to physical illness.  IMPARTS aims to address this by developing new screening and informatics tools, robust care pathways, self-help materials, research, and training and education.  It is partly funded by the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and is part of the King’s Health Partners Mind and Body programme. 

Currently running in 30 outpatient departments at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts, IMPARTS operates across a wide range of conditions, from large generic services such as rheumatology, diabetes and dermatology, to highly specialised settings such as endocarditis and neuroendocrine cancer, and has significantly increased mental health and psychological wellbeing assessment for these patients.

To date nearly 12,000 patients have been screened, and where required, patients receive treatment for their psychological needs.  For some services this is delivered by healthcare professionals who specialise in treatment within the context of the physical health condition. 

The HSJ Awards is the largest celebration of excellence in UK healthcare, highlighting the most innovative and successful people and projects in the sector, making a place on the shortlist a huge achievement. The Awards will take place on 23 November in London.

Four other teams from across King’s Health Partners have been recognised for their excellence.  The Cues-Ed project at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has also been shortlisted in the Innovation in Mental Health category.  The Communications and Organisational Development teams at Guy's and St Thomas' have been shortlisted in the Staff Engagement category, and the Neurorehabilitation Enhanced Transition Team (NETT) at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust are up for the top prize in the Acute, Community and/or Primary Care Services Redesign category. Evelina London Children's Hospital have been shortlisted in the Improving Outcomes through Learning and Development category.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler, Executive Directors of King’s Health Partners, said: “These projects demonstrate once again the variety of excellent work being delivered across our partnership, and provide a snapshot of just some of the different ways in which we are working to improve care for our patients. Congratulations to all of those teams on the shortlist.”


Tags: Staff News -

By NIHR Maudsley BRC at 12 Sep 2016, 12:14 PM


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