Improving the life expectancy of people with mental health illness

Londoners with mental health problems have a shorter life expectancy than the rest of the population and often fail to get the treatment they need. 75% of people with depression and anxiety do not receive any form of treatment at all, the equivalent figure for people with diabetes is just 8%. People with severe mental illnesses have a life expectancy 10 to 15 years shorter than someone without such an illness.

We need concerted action to address these inconsistencies of care between physical and mental health and close the life expectancy gap for people in London with mental health problems and ensure they receive the treatment they need.