Liaison psychiatry and the interface between mental and physical health – perspectives from England

There has been increasing policy interest in the interface between mental and physical health in recent years. One of the key objectives of the current Cross-Government Mental Health Strategy (for England) is to improve the physical health of those who suffer from mental illness. In parallel, people who suffer from long-term physical conditions have very high rates of comorbid mental ill-health, which are associated with worse outcomes, can delay recovery and can lead to longer hospital stays. Therefore there are opportunities for liaison psychiatry to do its part in helping our healthcare systems to deliver better outcomes in an economically challenging environment.