Mental health support for people with long term physical health conditions

Healthwatch Bristol undertook research on mental health having received feedback that this was a local priority. They worked with the Independent Mental Health Network to arrange a focus group of individuals with experience of long term conditions and mental health.  They used the findings to create a survey to which 86 people living in Bristol during March 2024 responded.

The research explored how people feel their mental health is impacted by their long term condition, interactions they’ve had with physical and mental health services, and barriers to mental health support they’ve encountered. 

Most participants said that their physical health affects their mental health to some extent. Nearly half of the participants had some mental health support as a result. Participants spoke positively about support which allowed talking and self-expression, peer support groups, and holistic services which supported both physical and mental health.

 Around 80% of participants who did have mental health support found it helpful. For those that didn’t have any mental health support, this was largely due to a lack of knowledge about mental health services and how to access them. Other logistical barriers to accessing and benefiting from mental health support included GP access, the duration of support offered, and fluctuations in physical symptoms. Also, most participants thought that healthcare staff did not consider mental and physical health together and that this lack of integration between services impacted their care.

The report has a number of recommendations on information provision and sharing; asking about mental health, addressing barriers, signposting, access to social prescribing and provision of holistic services.