Lessons from a West Midlands initiative with Health Trainers and Psychological Therapy Practitioners

New developments in ‘Talking Therapies: A four-year plan of action' sets out approaches to training and delivery of psychological therapies broadening the benefits of talking therapies to people with physical long-term conditions or medically unexplained symptoms.

Improving Well-being through Healthy Life Choices provides some key learning to help Increasing Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) services collaborate with, in this case Health Trainer (HT) services, to improve access for clients to make physical and mental healthy life choices. Well-being as a positive outcome in improved physical and/ or mental health is of prime concern to both HT and IAPT programmes.

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Key messages

• Physical Health and Mental Health are inter-related
• Poor physical health is a significant risk factor for poor mental health;
• Positive mental health and well-being protects physical health and improves health outcomes and recovery rates.
• Early intervention and treatment of mental health problems is recommended to improve health outcomes for people with physical illness
• Early provision of advice on promoting physical health for people with mental ill health will help to increase well-being and prevent development of physical health problems.

The National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) is the agency charged with supporting the implementation of mental health policy in England by the Department of Health in collaboration with the NHS, Local Authorities and other major stakeholders.