A new report has set out the actions needed to improve the physical health of adults with severe mental illness (SMI).

Data suggests that nearly half of people with SMI have a long-term physical health condition which could reduce their lifespan by 10-20 years. 

Written jointly by several organisations, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Public Health England, the report makes recommendations for ensuring that adults with SMI receive the same standards of physical healthcare as the general population. 

David Branford, RPS English Pharmacy Board member, said: “We urgently need to see better integration of mental and physical health services, so that people are treated as a whole.”

He added that most premature deaths in people with SMI are caused by modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol, addiction, physical inactivity and obesity, which pharmacy teams are well placed to help tackle through targeted interventions.