People living with severe mental illness (SMI), learning disabilities (LD) and autistic spectrum condition (ASC), face some of the greatest health inequality gaps in England. The average life expectancy for someone with a long-term mental health illness is at least 15-20 years shorter than for someone without and it is estimated that for people with SMI, 2 in 3 deaths are from physical illnesses that can be prevented. On average men with LD die 23 years earlier than men without a LD and for women it’s 27 years earlier . Autistic people die on average 16 years earlier than the general population. Poorer physical health is for the majority of people due to preventable illnesses.

The NHS Long Term Plan includes priorities to increase the number of people receiving physical health checks for people living with severe mental illness and learning disability.

The vision for Sheffield is that people living with severe mental illness, learning disabilities and autistic spectrum condition will live longer and healthier lives, because of improvements in their physical health and reduction, or early identification, of avoidable physical illness.

Key stakeholders in Sheffield are working together (through the Physical Health Implementation Group - PHIG) to look creatively at how we can support people living with these conditions to have the best possible physical health.