Hebden Bridge Group Practice is celebrating the successful implementation of its Serious/Severe Mental Illness (SMI) health checks, marking a significant step forward in ensuring individuals with serious mental health conditions receive the necessary physical health support.
Alongside the practice team, this achievement has been made possible thanks to the continued efforts of Pennine GP Alliance’s (PGPA’s) SMI Health Checks Champion, who’s been leading a 12-month project across Calderdale aimed at increasing the uptake of annual physical health checks for people living with SMI.
The SMI Health Checks project supports 19 GP practices in Calderdale by ensuring individuals diagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or psychosis are invited for annual physical health checks. These checks are essential, as people with SMI are at a much higher risk of developing physical health conditions like heart disease. In fact, individuals with SMI are automatically entitled to these checks, which are crucial for addressing the physical health disparities they often face.
PGPA’s SMI Health Checks Champion has been vital in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and increasing participation in the program. Through collaboration with health and voluntary sector partners, advocacy for quality improvement, and supporting the co-production of health action plans, the Champion has ensured that people with SMI receive the necessary care. The clinical and administrative teams at Hebden Bridge Group Practice have successfully implemented the project by contacting patients on the SMI register and inviting them for their annual health checks carried out by healthcare assistants, with escalation to GP appointments if needed.
Local data highlights a stark disparity, with individuals with mental illness, both serious and common, being less likely to attend for NHS health checks than their peers without a diagnosed condition. However, thanks to the efforts of Hebden Bridge Group Practice and PGPA’s SMI Champion, the uptake of SMI health checks has seen a significant increase, surpassing both the national target of 60% and the local target of 65% in February 2025.
This milestone demonstrates the commitment, teamwork, and dedication to improving health outcomes for individuals with SMI. The success is a result of collaboration and hard work among healthcare professionals, partners, and patients alike.
“I am delighted to see the increase in uptake of SMI health checks at Hebden Bridge Group Practice,” said Suzanne Turner, SMI Health Checks Champion at PGPA. “This achievement is a testament to the power of collaboration and the collective drive to ensure individuals with serious mental health conditions receive the comprehensive care they deserve.”
Dr Paul Shire, GP and Mental Health Lead at Hebden Bridge Group Practice said: “We have really benefited from the support offered by Suzanne Turner, the SMI health checks champion. We have allocated an administrator, who is passionate about improving the health of our SMI patients, and we have implemented a number of processes which have been developed through the local care pathway meetings. In addition to this our clinical team have attended training and we have improved the quality of the health checks we offer.
South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust (SWYFT) is the local provider of secondary care mental health services and have been administering the annual health checks for those in their care.
Hebden Bridge Group Practice, PGPA’s SMI Health Checks Champion and SWYFT are committed to furthering this work and ensuring that the benefits of these vital health checks reach even more people in the future.
For more information about SMI health checks, visit the NHS website.