Specialist nursing role to address poor physical health

It is now well known that people diagnosed with mental illness have poorer health behaviours, lower levels of physical activity, multiple comorbid chronic health conditions and poorer health compared to the general population (Scott et al 2012). This alarming health disparity has led the Institute for Health and Social Science Research and Centre for Mental Health Nursing Innovation at CQUniversity to trial a speciaiist "cardiometabolic healthcare nurse' as a link between community-based mental health consumers and primary health care.