This nomination recognises the project’s contribution to improving the physical health of people with serious mental illness through a collaboration with the Consultant Connect telemedicine service.

Consultant Connect puts mental health clinicians at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) in touch via app or phone with physical health specialists at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Foundation Trusts for advice on managing the physical health of people with serious mental illness. 

The aim is to help SLaM clinicians get advice more quickly, ensuring SLaM patients receive the right care first time, and avoiding unnecessary hospital visits.

  • Since Consultant Connect was introduced in 2020, clinicians at SLaM have sought advice and guidance more than 1,400 times from more than 50 physical health specialisms
  • In 70% of recorded cases, the conversation with a specialist meant SLaM clinicians could treat their patient’s physical health condition without the need for a hospital referral or admission.

This work has been vital during the Covid-19 pandemic as it became important to avoid unnecessary transfers between hospitals due to increased infection risk.

A number of ARC researchers are involved in the IMPHS programme, including our implementation science team who are leading the evaluation of the programme’s implementation and wider role out. 

The selected winners will be announced at the HSJ Partnership Awards awards ceremony at Westminster Park Plaza, London on 24 March 2022.

Find out more

To find out more about the IMPHS project and the collaboration with Consultant Connect, visit the King’s Health Partners website.