Jill Lockett is the managing partner at SHINE Executive Coaching & Consultancy and the former managing director at King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. In this blog article, Jill shares insights gleaned from Consultant Connect’s recent panel discussion she chaired on integrating physical and mental health care:
Addressing both mental and physical health is crucial for providing comprehensive care in today’s healthcare landscape. Consultant Connect is at the forefront of this approach, leveraging telemedicine to support the NHS and service providers in delivering holistic care.
The Consultant Connect panel discussion on 30th April 2025 included a group of thought leaders in this area:
- Jagdip (Jag) Singh Bahia, Chief Pharmacist, Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).
- Julie Williams, Former Research and Evaluation Lead for King’s Health Partners Mind and Body programme at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), and now Research Fellow with the IDEAS NET at Northumbria University.
- Dr Stephen Cookson, NHS Cardiologist at Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford and part of the National Consultant Network (NCN).
The panel explored the early learning from the SLaM programme working with acute providers in South East London to ensure timely telephone-based physical health advice for psychiatrists, inpatient and community mental health teams for mental health service users during the pandemic.
In the early days of lockdown, it was recognised that mental health teams often needed an acute or specialised opinion and that routine approaches could not be managed. ED attendance was considered sub-optimal for both patients and service providers, given the scale of Covid infections in the community.
Often, teams in mental health services require acute physical health advice, diagnostics, and treatment directions, particularly regarding polypharmacy, contraindications of key drugs, review of ECGs, and specialised opinions in a range of specialties, including neurology, dermatology, cancer, and cardiovascular care.
An Enhanced Advice & Guidance project was launched via Consultant Connect in 2020, providing telephone-based support for mental health trusts. Julie Williams reported on some key findings and benefits for patients, staff, and the wider system.
More recently, KMPT launched a Consultant Connect project for their community mental health teams using out-of-area NHS consultants on the NCN. The achievements of this programme were highly commended in recent Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards. KMPT’s chief pharmacist, Jag Singh Bahia, talked about the increased learning and skills development for local teams and the reassurance provided by the NCN. In particular, to securely share photographs and ECG readings via Consultant Connect meant that conversations for rapid advice with cardiology and dermatology teams could rule out physical health acuity or direct the next stage of advice and treatment protocol. All Consultant Connect Advice & Guidance is led by NHS clinical staff and based on NICE guidelines and NHS care pathways.
As both Julie and Jag highlighted, referrals to acute hospitals were reduced by 65-70% across the projects and significantly improved access to immediate advice about cardiac toxicity to mental health medications, clarified ECG readings and care plans, and supported many conversations with dermatology teams, neurology, and other specialties. Had the advice not been available, they were clear that prescribing and commencing treatment would have been paused ahead of a referral to outpatients or ED transfer.
‘Covid hit, and everything changed. Keeping the pressure off acute trusts was vital, so getting the Consultant Connect project rolled out quickly was one way of doing that. We had patients who were in mental health beds who needed support with their physical health, and we wanted to keep them out of acute trusts as much as possible. Our feedback from clinicians [about Consultant Connect] was overwhelmingly positive. They felt it had been really helpful for them and meant that referrals are avoided.’ – Julie Williams.
‘Our trust has collaborated with Consultant Connect for nearly two years, improving patient safety and enhancing care delivery. By working with Consultant Connect, we have reduced the waiting times for patients to receive essential critical psychotropic medication and received rapid access to cardiology and other specialties, for managing our patients’ physical health conditions. Previously, when patients had an abnormal ECG, we had to refer them to the acute hospital, where they would be waiting for an appointment for weeks/months. Using the NCN, we can get faster guidance and commence treatment quickly. In one year, we’ve eliminated more than 350 unnecessary referrals which would’ve gone to the local acute organisation, which helps relieve the strain on acute and primary care resources.’ – Jag Bahia.
The NCN’s support of NHS areas via Consultant Connect is significant. Dr Stephen Cookson is one of the cardiologists on hand to advise on changes in cardiac presentation, understand the intricacies of co-morbidity, and navigate complex prescribing.
Dr Cookson was keen to showcase the learning for everyone on the panel discussion, particularly developing the mental health understanding of acute-based physicians, but also able to navigate ECG findings rapidly and agree on a way forward with an unwell patient and a concerned mental health team.
Recognising the current backlog in outpatient wait times and the business of local urgent care, the Enhanced Advice & Guidance model, comprising calling and photo-messaging capabilities for ECG readings, enables productive and thoughtful conversations in a timely way.
‘Sometimes, a lot of what we do is give reassurance, and we guide clinicians on the appropriate action. We have had a few incidents where there’s a major life-threatening problem, and our intervention has allowed us to drastically make a difference to the patient’s quality of life. I enjoy doing this work; I like chatting with people, collaborating, and working with clinicians. Most of these calls can be resolved easily and don’t result in anyone going to hospital. And if there wasn’t someone available on the end of the phone, I think many of these patients would sit on an outpatient waiting list for a long time and not be seen in clinic until months down the line. So I hope this brings about better use of resources and improved patient experiences.’ – Dr Stephen Cookson.
In summary, here’s how Consultant Connect is making a difference:
- Enhanced Advice & Guidance*: Consultant Connect’s platform offers clinicians access to rapid specialist advice via telephone and/or photo messaging. Calls are answered within 30 seconds, and messages are responded to within 6 hours, on average. This ensures patients receive the right care promptly, reducing unnecessary hospital visits and improving overall patient outcomes. By facilitating quick and reliable communication, Consultant Connect helps clinicians make informed decisions, ultimately benefiting patient care.
- Integrated care pathways: One of the key strengths of Consultant Connect is the ability to integrate mental and physical health services. This seamless communication between different healthcare providers is essential for managing patients with comorbid conditions. By addressing mental and physical health needs concurrently, Consultant Connect helps ensure that patients receive comprehensive care tailored to their unique circumstances.
- Support for resident doctors and community teams: Consultant Connect’s services are utilised by over half of the NHS, providing quick access to specialist advice for resident doctors, as well as inpatient and community teams. This support helps upskill clinicians, increasing their confidence in managing complex cases, and ensuring that patients are navigated to the right care pathways. Consultant Connect contributes to a more knowledgeable and capable healthcare workforce by empowering resident doctors and local community teams.
- Data and call recordings: All interactions through Consultant Connect are recorded and stored securely for medico-legal reasons, allowing for continuous monitoring and improvement of patient care. This data can be accessed at any time and can be used to identify trends, improve service delivery, and ensure that care is patient-centred. By leveraging this valuable data, healthcare providers can make informed decisions that enhance the quality of care.
By focusing on rapid Advice & Guidance, integrated care pathways, support for resident doctors and community teams, and data-driven improvements, Consultant Connect is helping to enhance patient outcomes and satisfaction. For clinicians, embracing innovative solutions can lead to better patient care and a more efficient healthcare system. Together, we can ensure that every patient receives the holistic care they deserve.
If you’d like to set up a Consultant Connect project or learn more, please email the team at info@consultantconnect.org.uk or call 01865 261467.
*Also known as Prof-to-Prof Advice in Scotland
