Physical Health Monitoring and Care of Inpatients with SMI in a Rehabilitation Setting

Background: Physical health monitoring and care is important to improve the quality of care of in-patients with severe mental illness.

Aim: The aim of the audit project that was undertook in May to June 2015 was to assess whether the standards of the physical health monitoring and care in an inpatient low secure and general adult rehabilitation unit met current recommended clinical guidelines into delivery of appropriate care and interventions for patients with severe mental illness.

Method: The audit chose standards from NICE guidelines 2014 for Schizophrenia and Psychoses in adults and Lester cardio-metabolic resource, quality improvement tool from National audit of schizophrenia project 2014.

Results: The audit found while there was 100% compliance of the standards for monitoring of individual physical health parameter in the inpatient rehabilitation setting there were gaps in the implementation of appropriate of health care promotion initiatives where there were identified concerns.

Conclusion: The audit results recommend changes in inpatient physical health policy in assessment and treatment to include appropriate delivery of heath promotions.