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