Bridging the gap: Co-producing resources for NHS mental health trusts and community providers to support people with severe mental illness live active lives in their community

Background

Life expectancy is reduced by 15–20 years for people with severe mental illness (SMI). Many of these deaths result from preventable physical health conditions linked to lack of physical activity. During a supervised physical activity intervention delivered in the community by NHS staff, participants and advisors emphasised the crucial role of community-based physical activity providers, in helping people with SMI maintain their physical activity post intervention. However, community-based physical activity providers often lack guidance or support to engage people with SMI, which may hinder physical activity maintenance for this population. The aim of this project was to co-produce support resources for community-based physical activity providers and NHS professionals, to enhance physical activity engagement among people living with SMI.

Methods

Support resources were developed using the Double Diamond design framework. ‘Data was collected through 32 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with NHS staff trained to deliver a physical activity intervention and community-based activity providers, alongside a national survey of 52 community-based physical activity providers. The results of these informed three co-production workshops involving people with lived experience of SMI.

Results

Interviews and survey findings highlighted community providers’ willingness to be inclusive, alongside their limited confidence, knowledge, and procedural guidance for supporting people with SMI. These insights informed the co-production of two resources: a practical support booklet and a lived-experience video.

Conclusions

We co-produced resources to support community-based physical activity providers in engaging people with SMI. These resources are expected to enhance the impact of physical activity interventions bridging the gap between the NHS and community providers and, when implemented in community settings, improve providers’ capacity to create safe and inclusive spaces for physical activity.