Mental health

Physiotherapists have long had a role within acute mental health teams using their skills to complement the medical management. With more than 1 in 6 adults in England diagnosed with mental health problems at any one time, accounting for approximately 40 percent of all disability, it is hardly surprising that the knowledge and skills of physiotherapists are now being applied in other settings with a variety of population and patient groups with mental health problems.

Case study - Mental health team

The physiotherapy team apply a range of physiotherapy skills such as hydrotherapy and psychological skills for example cognitive behavioural therapy for a wide age range of people with enduring mental illness. The team serve a number of London Boroughs and a High Secure Unit. The team operates in a range of settings such as secure and acute, as well as working in assertive outreach teams and in community mental health teams. This approach has minimised the amount of unnecessary contact between the patient and the mental health services with the right healthcare professional seeing the patient at the right time.