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What does it mean to be a Mind & Body Champion? 

mindandbody badge oneOur Mind & Body Champions are advocates for the importance of treating mental and physical health as one, helping us to identify all the health needs of our patients and service users, and supporting them with the most appropriate treatment. 

Champions are part of a network of like-minded individuals, who we support to help improve mind and body care across South East London. Our ask from Champions is simple:

  • Increase your awareness of mind and body, by making the most of our resources to build knowledge
  • Advocate for mind and body, by educating your team and others
  • Practice better mind and body care by building skills through our courses and looking after your team’s mind and body health
  • Lead change for better mind and body care, working with us to innovate for better care

We have created a range of useful resources for Mind & Body Champions to help support your conversations on the connections between mental and physical health. These include posters, our information leaflet, a short animation and a regular newsletter to keep you updated on opportunities and news.

Read blogs from some of our Champions about how they are delivering Mind & Body care to patients

Oral and maxillofacial surgery: offering whole person care
Rachel Bowley, King’s College Hospital, blogs about how the team are looking after the mental health of patients undergoing treatment.

A Mind & Body approach to pharmaceutical healthcare
Siobhan Gee, explains how taking a mind & body approach to pharmaceutical healthcare can greatly improve patient outcomes.

Overcoming the barriers to quitting smoking
How can we help patients in mental health units to ditch the habit of a lifetime? Melissa Wood shares her experiences.

Child health: considering mind, body and context
Dr Anto Ingrassia, blogs about the importance of supporting both the physical and mental health needs of children and young people.

Warmest Regards
Dr Sharon Pimenta, King's College Hospital, blogs about how children’s worries or difficult feelings might present physically.

Why Mind and Body?

The mind and body are inseparable, and mental and physical health conditions are often connected. When mental and physical health problems are combined, people are less able to manage their conditions properly and their health outcomes become worse.

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Evidence shows that by joining up physical and mental healthcare, we can help someone to manage their different conditions, improve their health outcomes, and even prevent unnecessary health problems for some people by identifying risk early. Read our Mind & Body blogs to find out more.

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Who can be a Mind & Body Champion?

Anyone who works for one of the King’s Health Partners organisations – King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust – or who works in mental or physical healthcare anywhere in south and south east London can become a Mind & Champion.

We’re looking for a wide range of staff representing all areas of our organisations and beyond to become champions for mind and body. Whether you are clinical or non-clinical, junior or senior, everyone is welcome to join the network. We’re also keen for our champions network to expand to practitioners in primary and social care and other organisations across south and south east London.

If you are interested in becoming a Mind & Body Champion, please complete our registration form