Adults in Sheffield and North East Lincolnshire will soon benefit from new funding from NHS England for ‘integrated psychological therapies’, which help people with a long-term physical health condition manage mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

This second phase of Integrated IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) funding, delivered as part of NHS England’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, is a major step towards ‘parity of esteem’ between mental health and physical health services.

Adults with common mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and depression often also have physical long-term conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. When mental and physical health problems are treated in an integrated way, people can achieve better outcomes (as seen by 22 Early Implementer projects across the country that have lead the way in integrating psychological therapies with physical health care).

New psychological therapy provision will see physical and mental health care provision co-located. Therapy will be integrated into existing medical pathways and services – either primary care (such as GP services), or secondary care services (such as services in hospital).

Dr Steve Thomas, GP and Clinical Director for Mental Health, Dementia and Learning Disabilities at NHS Sheffield CCG said: “This is a very exciting time for innovation in mental health services. As a GP in Sheffield I know how important it is to provide holistic care, providing care to the whole person in partnership with the person themselves. IAPT helps to change how people think and what they do to improve their mental health and wellbeing and this can be particularly helpful for people who have a long term physical health problem and who are, for example, at greater risk of mental health problems such as depression.

“I would ask people who feel they could benefit to talk to their GP or practice nurse to see if IAPT could be right for them. You can also search online for and refer yourself to local IAPT services on NHS Choices.”

Dr Renju Mathews, GP and Mental Health Clinical Lead with NHS North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, welcomed the funding saying it would build on North East Lincolnshire’s tradition of integrating mental health and physical wellbeing by offering evidence-based therapies within GP practices to people living with long term health conditions.

Dr Mathews said: “Our physical and mental health are closely linked and people who live with a long-term physical condition – such as diabetes, heart problems, chronic asthma or COPD – are often likely to experience some form of mental ill-health, such as depression and anxiety.

“While long-term conditions can be managed and patients supported to live as healthily as possible, they often impact on their lives and can make them socially isolated and unable to do the activities they previously enjoyed. This can easily give way to mental health difficulties.”