Improving outcomes – early lung cancer detection in patients with mental health conditions

Dr Ed Beveridge, Medical Director at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, joins Dr Adam Januszewski ski Consultant Medical Oncologist and Quality and Safety Lead at Barts Cancer Centre, to discuss the inequalities contributing to poorer lung cancer outcomes for people living with mental health conditions, and why these challenges are not inevitable but the result of systemic barriers that can be overcome.

People with severe mental illness experience poorer outcomes

A central theme throughout the webinar is that people living with severe mental illness often experience some of the poorest health outcomes across the healthcare system, including in relation to lung cancer.

This leaves people living with SMI in a situation where they are:

• More likely to smoke than the general population
• More likely to experience physical health inequalities
• Less likely to receive timely diagnosis and treatment
• More likely to die prematurely from preventable causes

Early diagnosis saves lives

Watch a longer discussion on supporting early lung cancer detection in patients with mental health conditions.

https://www.londontobaccoalliance.org.uk/news/london-smoking-and-mental-health-webinar-recording/

Ed Beveridge, Medical Director, Central and North West London NHS FT and Dr Adam P Januszewski, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Quality and Safety Lead, Barts Cancer Centre discuss why these poorer outcomes are not inevitable but reflect systemic barriers that can and should be addressed.

• Diagnosing lung cancer earlier leads to significantly better outcomes
• More treatment options are available when cancer is identified at an earlier stage
• Survival rates improve substantially when diagnosis happens promptly

However, people with mental health conditions may face additional barriers that delay presentation, referral or participation in screening programmes.

Current healthcare pathways are not designed for everyone

One of the strongest messages from the discussion is that healthcare pathways are often designed around the needs of the “average” patient.

Speakers explain that people with mental health conditions may encounter challenges including:

• Difficulties navigating complex healthcare systems
• Challenges attending multiple appointments
• Anxiety about investigations or hospital settings
• Communication barriers
• Reduced trust in healthcare services due to previous experiences
• Practical issues such as transport, finances or social support

Lung health checks offer opportunities

The discussion highlights the potential of targeted lung health checks and other early detection initiatives.

To maximise their impact, services need to consider:

• How invitations are communicated
• Additional support that may be needed before appointments
• Collaboration between mental health teams and cancer services
• Flexible, person-centred approaches to engagement

The importance of integrated care

Closer collaboration across services is needed, including:

• Mental health services
• Primary care
• Tobacco dependence treatment services
• Lung cancer and respiratory teams
• Voluntary and community organisations

Breaking down organisational silos is seen as essential to ensuring patients do not fall through gaps in the system.

Lived experience must shape services

A particularly powerful aspect of the discussion is the emphasis on involving people with lived experience in designing improvements.

https://www.londontobaccoalliance.org.uk/news/london-smoking-and-mental-health-webinar-recording/