MHAW2025 – Helping people who experience mental distress access physical health checks
To begin our coverage for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 and our theme of physical wellbeing we're focussing on our service in Norfolk that supports people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) to access physical health checks. People living with SMI are at a greater risk of poor physical health and have a higher rate of premature mortality than the general population. It is understandable that a person coping with severe mental distress would struggle to engage with and prioritise their physical wellbeing and this service looks to support them to do that and here we'll look at the innovative ways they do that and the impact that has had for the people who've used it.
For people with SMI, tragically 2 in 3 deaths are from physical illnesses that can be prevented and accessing physical health checks that are available through the NHS can help with this. The service is commissioned by the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board and strives to ensure more people can access these vital checks to improve their physical wellbeing, raise awareness and reduce health inequalities people face.
The team increase that awareness by holding roadshow events across the Norfolk and Waveney regions that people can come along to. The events feature activities suggested by people with mental health lived experience including craft table, seed planting workshops, hand or shoulder massages, a smoothie bike, access to dental and smoking cessation services and the WOW (Wellness on Wheels) bus.
People that come along can also meet and speak to various organisations who can provide physical health support including Active Norfolk, Hear for Norfolk and Mind Rest Hub. The team look forward to seeing more people at future events to come throughout Norfolk and Waveney to raise awareness of the importance of the SMI Health Checks.
People the service supports are contacted by skilled Mental Health Workers and informed about the benefits of physical health checks so they can make an informed decision about whether they want to take part. Other features of the service include staff arranging a free taxi transfer for individuals to attend the appointment if travelling to that is a barrier to them taking part. The team can also provide appointment reminder calls and coaching on the day and signposting is available to additional support options quitting smoking, linking with physical activity clubs and services or with weight management.
From April 2025 a new pilot has begun within the SMI Physical Health Check service using technology and the skills of two experienced practitioners within the team. Following training those practitioners will now perform the 6 elements of SMI Physical Health Check for those requiring home visit or at care homes, on behalf of the GP Practices across Norfolk & Waveney. The team will use the Blue Box from Whzan Digital Health and feed the information back to the GP practices. This new initiative offers a more individual approach at the person’s convenience and supports the practice with capacity for home visits.
I didn't know anything about this health check. The call was really welcomed and informative. It has made me think about quitting smoking for my new year resolution because I now know there is a specialist service that can help me.
I found being called to arrange the PHC very helpful as this is something I probably would not have booked myself - the call gave me the motivation.
I'm pleased that the appointment was booked for me, it took some of the stress out of going to the GP
The Norfolk SMI Physical Health Check Service can support people in a number of different ways and below you can read about some examples of those. In all instances names have been changed to provide anonymity for the people involved:
