Treatment for mental and physical conditions should be integrated

10th February 2012

A new report from the King’s Fund and the Centre for Mental Health suggests the NHS could improve care and reduce costs by improving how it treats patients suffering from both mental and physical health conditions.

The document advocates a more integrated approach to treating them, rather than approaching conditions separately and says such a move could help the 4.6m people thought to have both a long-term physical condition and mental health issues. Some 12-18% (£8-£13bn) of all NHS expenditure on long-term conditions is linked to poor mental health and wellbeing.

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Jill Bjerke

Friday 10th February 2012 @ 22:30

I actually do not believe mental and physical conditions can be separated or treated individually! Depression can create serious physical issues, as can bulimia or anorexia, for example. The mind and body are so intertwined that a successful patient outcome could be impossible, I would think, without taking both into consideration when diagnosing and treating, even though it could make both more complex. The mind/body connection is highly powerful. I am glad to see this suggestion made and hope that perhaps a pilot study could be done to prove the hypothesis.