Resources for people with physical and mental health concerns, and also families and supporters

Resources for talking with doctors and health workers

The Physical Health Conversation Guide on this website is designed to assist you to talk with your doctor about your physical health and how your physical health and mental health interact.

Talking to your doctor about mental health and physical health

There are a few websites that provide information about talking with doctors and health providers about mental health. Most of the advice is also relevant to talking about physical health and the interaction between mental and physical health. SANE Australia

Choosing Wisely Australia

Designed to assist people to start important conversations about tests, treatments and procedures in order to make informed decisions

NPS Medicinewise

Information to help make the best decisions about medicines and medical tests.

What you may not know about antipsychotics

A booklet for consumers, families and carers by the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and Curtin University.

About medication

Information to assist people in relation to psychiatric medication and its effects. (Mind is UK-based.)

Resources to improve physical health and physical health care for people with lived experience of mental health issues

Equally Well – Quality of Life, Equality in Life

Aims to improve the quality of life of people living with mental illness by promoting and advocating equal access to quality health care. The website has been designed to promote collaboration, awareness and sharing of resources.

Healthy Active Lives (HeAL)

Aims to improve the physical health of young people who experience psychosis and combat the prejudice thar prevents young people experiencing psychosis from leading healthy active lives.

Neami Health Prompt

A checklist to help identify specific physical health needs.

Butterfly Foundation

Specific information for people who experience eating disorders and body image issues.

SANE Australia

Fact sheet on physical health and physical health care
Forums for communicating online with others in similar situations

Head to Health

Searching ‘physical health’ or other related topics will identify relevant apps, websites, forums and other resources

RANZCP

Physical Health for people with mental illness

Linking physical and mental health care

Resource for families and friends provided in multiple languages.

Resources for doctors and health workers working with people with mental and physical health concerns

The Physical Health Conversation Guide on this website is designed to assist you to talk with patients who experience mental health issues about their physical health, their physical health care and how their physical health and mental health interact.

What you may not know about antipsychotics

A Critical Literature Review and a booklet developed for consumers, families and carers by the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and Curtin University.

Physical health in mental illness – Royal College of Nursing

A resource for nurses supporting people diagnosed with mental health issues with their physical health.

FND (Functional Neurological Disorders) Australia

Resources for health professionals involved in the care of people experiencing FND.

Blue Knot Foundation – National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma

A range of information for trauma survivors and health professionals, including information to help build understanding of the long-term physical and mental health impacts of complex trauma.

Guidelines for preventative activities in general practice (The Red Book)

RACGP (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) comprehensive guide to preventative healthcare

Smoking, nutrition, alcohol and physical activity (SNAP)

RACGP resource to assist GPs and practice staff to work with patients in relation to smoking, nutrition, alcohol and physical activity

National guide to a preventative health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and RACGP guide to preventative health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Other RACGP guidelines

A complete listing of RACGP clinical guidelines.

Choosing Wisely Australia

Supporting health professionals to engage with consumers in conversations about what care is needed, combining the best available evidence and discussion to work out what is helpful and what is not.

NPS Medicinewise

Meaningful evidence-based information, resources and data insights to inform practice.

General resources for improving physical health

The Physical Health Conversation Guide on this website is designed to assist you to talk with patients who experience mental health issues about their physical health, their physical health care and how their physical health and mental health interact.

WellMob

Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

NSW Health – Improving your health

Links to a range of information and program for improving health.

Exercise Right

Information from Exercise & Sports Science Australia about how to ‘exercise right’ for different needs, including people living with chronic conditions, illness and injury.

Physical activity and exercise guidelines

Information about how much exercise we need to do, organised according to age.
Make your Move about being physically active brochure
Ideas for adults – moderate aerobic, strength, flexibility & balance activity
Ideas for older adults – moderate aerobic, strength, flexibility & balance activity

Eat for Health

Information about the amount and kinds of foods we need to eat for health and wellbeing and how to understand food labels.

Dietitians Australia

Information about healthy eating, answers to common questions about food and food products, and information tailored to particular health conditions.

Multilingual Resources from the Transcultural Mental Health Centre

A variety of resources about wellbeing and mental health in a range of community languages

General resources for addressing physical health concerns

Health Direct

A government-funded service, providing approved health information and advice.

Information about long-term (chronic) health conditions

Health Department (Australia) Information about long-term (chronic) health conditions including what they are, how to prevent them, and programs for support. (Note that there is a mix of resource types from video information about specific practices to broader policy documents and guidelines.)