28 July 2026

KHP Mind & Body is playing a core role delivering the King's Health Partners Strategy to 2030. This blog explores the work of the programme in the last year, and highlights how you can get involved in efforts to integrate mind and body care.

Mind and body care is improving population health

To understand where partners could focus to have the most immediate impact for people living with severe mental health illness (SMI), who experience some of the greatest health inequalities in our population - the KHP Mind & Body programme conducted an in-depth Severe Mental Illness Data Review of local data around the physical health of people with SMI in south east London. 

Following the review, KHP Mind & Body assessed the barriers to identification, access, and adherence to the Lung Cancer pathway for people with SMI. The project highlighted structural, clinical, and operational challenges influencing access to timely diagnosis and adherence to treatment. It also identified opportunities to embed more integrated, equitable approaches within routine healthcare pathways.

Lung cancer prevalence was more than twice as high in people with SMI - with 89% of diagnoses via emergency presentation, instead of through standard GP routes. Although GP referral rates were higher for people with SMI, this did not lead to earlier diagnosis like it did for the general population. These findings indicate persistent inequalities requiring system-wide action.

Following the project, an academic paper was published to outline these issues and associated recommendations for clinical practice change. This project was awarded the South East London Integrated Care System Innovation Award, and we are now working with partners to use this research to make improvements for our local population

KHP Mind & Body undertook a similar programme in collaboration with NHS England to understand the barriers to access and adherence of the three national cancer screening programmes (breast, bowel, and cervical cancer) for people with SMI. Colleagues across London worked in collaboration with patients to identify core issues and solutions to be built into a national report with five recommendations for London's Integrated Care Systems to trial a recommendation each to make progress for these patients.

Chronic pain programme helps underserved groups

The Pain: Equality of Care and Support in the Community (PEACS) programme has been one of the Mind & Body programme’s most successful projects to date. 

The programme has made massive strides towards implementing biopsychosocial care for our south east London population suffering chronic pain. PEACS successfully engaged underserved groups, with many participants coming from Black backgrounds, demonstrating improved access to care and culturally appropriate support. Over two years, 1,547 people accessed the PEACS programme - with demonstrable improvements in social connection, feelings of control over health, confidence in self-management, and improved mental and physical wellbeing. 

PEACS was ‘Highly Commended’ at the 2024 Health Service Journal Awards for “Innovation in Reducing Healthcare Inequalities”. 

We are now in the process of embedding this service in Lambeth, and looking to test in three national adopter sites across England.

Building capacity in the workforce

Delivering integrated mind and body care across south east London requires improved knowledge and upskilling across the NHS workforce. The KHP Mind & Body programme is committed to delivering outstanding education and training opportunities to help staff provide joined up and evidence-based mental and physical healthcare to service users. 

With three refreshed e-learning packages which introduce holistic care and support staff to develop important skills in care delivery for both adults, children, and young people. In the first six months of 2026 alone, over 300 people had enrolled in these courses.

The programme also provides Share & Learn webinars to the Mind & Body Champions Network, highlighting an area of clinical practice where integrated mind and body care has improved outcomes for patients. An average of 94% of survey respondents say the "session will benefit or change my clinical practice for the better". Sessions have covered a range of topics including: Functional Neurological Disorder, Breathlessness and Anxiety, Menopause, Palliative Care, Drug and Alcohol, and HIV.

Through this work, the Mind & Body team hopes to build capacity in the workforce to feel confident in delivering integrated care. 

Connecting partners and creating opportunities 

With the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan for England, the NHS is moving towards an integrated way of delivering healthcare, through the medium of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. We are seizing the opportunity to work closer with our KHP partners, and our networks across the SEL system to create opportunities for delivering Mind & Body care. 

The Mind & Body Improvement Network brings NHS staff, volunteers, students, academics, and service users together across England as Mind & Body Champions. The network provides members with a platform to collaborate, innovate and deliver integrated mental and physical healthcare across the south east London partnership and beyond. The network is hosted on the collaborative online platform FutureNHS and offers individuals, services and organisations with resources, links to training and events, and a space to start discussions and share best practice with other Mind & Body Champions, for the benefit of patients. There are hundreds of Champions on the FutureNHS platform.

To strengthen communication of evidence and inform decision-making, we have established a Mind & Body case study repository, bringing together examples from across programmes and partners. This resource showcases different models of integrated care delivery, captures learning, and supports system-wide knowledge sharing, which informs commissioning, and influences policy discussions. The aim of the programme is to shape the strategic objectives of King’s Health Partners, guide how our strategy is delivered, and underpin the evaluation metrics that hold our partners accountable. 

Find out more about the work of KHP Mind & Body.