Care coordinator views and experiences of physical health monitoring in clients with severe mental illness: A qualitative study

Background: Excess mortality among people with severe mental illness (SMI) is largely attributed to co-morbid physical illness. Improving the physical health of this population is critically important; however, physical health monitoring among people with SMI is often inadequate. Aims: This study aimed to facilitate an enhanced understanding of barriers to successfully attend to clients’ physical health in mental health settings, through exploring care coordinators’ views and experiences regarding their ability to monitor physical health in clients with SMI (specifically, psychosis). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven care coordinators from a South East London (UK) community mental health team. Data were analysed using thematic analysis principles. Results: Three themes were identified in these data, capturing (1) how care coordinators viewed the professional roles of other clinical staff and themselves, (2) views on barriers to the provision of physical healthcare and (3) factors that motivated care coordinators to attend to clients’ physical health. Conclusion: Our findings can inform efforts to implement physical healthcare interventions within mental health settings. Such insights are timely, as academic literature and guidelines regarding clinical practice increasingly promote the value of integrated provision of mental and physical healthcare.