Clinical

The use of a Lester Tool-based physical health app in mental health inpatient settings

Background People with mental health problems have a greater risk of developing physical health problems, yet in England only 76% of such patients have an annual check of their physical health.

Aim To explore the effects of implementing a physical health app in a mental health rehabilitation hospital.

Methods Following the creation and implementation of the app, which was based on the Lester Tool, a questionnaire was developed and sent to staff to assess their experience. Quality of physical health plans was also assessed.

Findings The physical health app was viewed by clinicians as being a helpful tool and there was a small but statistically significant improvement in the quality of care plans.

Conclusion The use of the physical health app in a psychiatric rehabilitation setting offers a cost-effective opportunity to improve clinical quality and engage clinicians.

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