Bringing together physical and mental health

A strong consensus has emerged calling for more integrated approaches in the health and care system. However, this report argues that to date, efforts to develop integrated care in England and elsewhere have too often paid insufficient attention to integration of mental and physical health. There needs to be a stronger focus on this aspect of integration, which should address four related but distinct challenges: •• rising levels of multi-morbidity •• inequalities in life expectancy •• psychological aspects of physical health •• medically unexplained symptoms.

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