Improving physical health care in a mental health trust.

It is a challenge both to general medicine and psychiatry to develop systems that are better equipped to meet the physical health needs of mental health patients and reduce mortality rates (Hansen et al, 1997). Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust is establishing a department of physical health care staffed by nurses with general nursing backgrounds to tackle this problem. This nurse-led department is designed to train nurses and doctors in key aspects of physical health assessment and treatment interventions.