RPS signs new mental health charter

The RPS today signed The Charter for Equal Health as a partner of Equally Well UK, a group of over 50 organisations including government bodies, statutory organisations and charities dedicated to reducing the 15-20 year life expectancy gap facing people with severe mental health conditions.

People with mental health problems often have more difficulty accessing healthcare than others and can face a dramatically shortened life, mostly because of poor physical health.

The Charter sets out ambitions to ensure everyone living with a long term mental health condition has access to the right care when they need it to improve their physical health and create a more equal life expectancy.

RPS England Board Chair Sandra Gidley said:

“No one should have poorer physical health because they have a mental health condition. We hope that through the combined efforts of the collaborative, this fundamental injustice will be consigned to history.  As the third largest health profession, pharmacists working across the NHS can play a key role in closing the gap between people’s physical and mental health, so we are proud to support the launch of the Equally Well Charter.

“Mental health has been a key focus for us recently. Our report, No Health without Mental Health, makes a number of recommendations about how pharmacists can better support people with mental health problems and help reduce the health inequalities they experience. We will continue working with the profession, NHS, patient groups and professional bodies to take forward this important agenda.”

Find out more about our mental health campaign.