10 February 2026

A KHP Mind & Body project, in partnership with NHS England - London, has provided a five-part guide to help address the barriers that patients with severe mental illness are facing when needing to access national cancer screening programmes. 

Adults with a severe mental illness (SMI) can be at greater risk of cancer mortality than those without. 

The Schizophrenia Commission (updated 2017) reports people with SMI are three times more likely to die from cancer than those in the general population with a cancer diagnosis. The Commission estimates approximately one‐third of cancer deaths could be prevented with early detection, of which cancer screening is the most effective method.  

A nation-wide cohort study in 2022, found a 64% higher all-cause mortality rate following cancer diagnosis for people with SMI compared to people without an SMI, attributed to factors such as delayed diagnosis, cancer stage at diagnosis, poor engagement with care and cancer prognosis. 

Recommendations to improve national cancer screening uptake for people with SMI  

In 2023 a review of physical health inequalities for people living with severe mental illness (SMI) in south east London (SEL) identified cancer as one of the most significant contributors to premature mortality for the population. The study, led by the KHP Mind & Body team, revealed an urgent need to address disparities in access to cancer screening and opportunities for systems improvement. 

Following the review, KHP Mind & Body commenced a six-month project in partnership with NHS England - London, to explore critical barriers that prevent access to national cancer screening programmes (for breast, bowel and cervical cancers) and further continue to delay early cancer diagnosis for the SMI population.   

The six-month project, aimed to inform system-wide recommendations to improve national cancer screening uptake amongst people with SMI. The KHP Mind & Body team spoke to patients, primary care clinicians, and Champions from the Mind & Body Improvement Network.  

Their insights then informed a collaborative workshop with regional partners in January 2025. The aim of the workshop was to identify barriers to the three national cancer screening programmes - bowel, breast, and cervical - for people living with SMI.  

Participants considered practical solutions to improve uptake for those programmes. Their discussions informed the NHS E 2025 report into improving cancer outcomes for adults living with severe mental illness and five key recommendations: 

1. Annual physical health check integration 

Develop clear guidance and policy to embed cancer screening into the annual physical health check programme, ensuring consistent practice across providers. 

2. Targeted Interventions 

Implement integrated, place-based care initiatives to understand patient needs, tailor interventions, and reduce inequalities in screening uptake. 

3. Workforce Training 

Enhance awareness, knowledge, and skills among healthcare professionals to confidently explore cancer screening referrals and follow-up interventions for SMI patients. 

4. Patient Involvement 

Prioritise patient experience by embedding insights into clinical solutions, improving engagement and uptake through co-designed approaches. 

5. Continuous Improvement 

Maintain a system-wide focus on targeted improvement, sharing best practice and learning to drive sustained progress. 

The final report for this work was disseminated by NHS E London for regional partner consideration and has continued to feature as part of on-going work to support the recently-published National Cancer Plan for England. 

Going beyond the recommendations 

In addition to this project, the KHP Mind & Body programme have been working over the last two years with South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) to explore inequalities and barriers to lung cancer diagnostic and treatment pathways for adults with SMI.  

The team will be hosting a webinar to share key findings from this project in February, details below:  

Date: Tuesday 24 February 2026 

Time: 13:00-14:00 

Location: MS Teams 

Register here.

This session is designed for colleagues across health, care, and community sectors who are seeking to improve outcomes and reduce premature cancer mortality among people living with SMI. The session will share key learning, findings, and insights from work undertaken by KHP and SELCA in south east London, alongside reflections from key colleagues working with us to address inequalities in Early Cancer Detection and Diagnosis. 

For more information about this project, please contact the Mind & Body team.

Resources 

The physical health in SMI review is available on the KHP Mind & Body NHS Futures website, register for an account to access the KHP Mind & Body page.  

Read the full NHS E report improving cancer outcomes for adults living with severe mental illness on the Mind and Body NHS Futures page.