title: The serious mental illness health improvement profile [HIP]: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The serious mental illness Health Improvement Profile [HIP] is a brief pragmatic tool, which enables mental health nurses to work together with patients to screen physical health and take evidence-based action when variables are identified to be at risk. Piloting has demonstrated clinical utility and acceptability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single blind parallel group cluster randomised controlled trial with secondary economic analysis and process observation. Unit of randomisation: mental health nurses [MHNs] working in adult community mental health teams across two NHS Trusts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients over 18 years with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder on the caseload of participating MHNs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of the HIP programme on patients' physical wellbeing assessed by the physical component score of the Medical Outcome Study (MOS) 36 Item Short Form Health Survey version 2 [SF-36v2].
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of the HIP programme on: cost effectiveness, mental wellbeing, cardiovascular risk, physical health care attitudes and knowledge of MHNs and to determine the acceptability of the HIP Programme in the NHS. Consented nurses (and patients) will be randomised to receive the HIP Programme or treatment as usual. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and 12 months with a process observation after 12 months to include evaluation of patients' and professionals' experience and observation of any effect on care plans and primary-secondary care interface communication. Outcomes will be analysed on an intention-to-treat (ITT) basis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the trial and process observation will provide information about the effectiveness of the HIP Programme in supporting MHNs to address physical comorbidity in serious mental illness. Given the current unacceptable prevalence of physical comorbidity and mortality in the serious mental illness population, it is hoped the HIP trial will provide a timely contribution to evidence on organisation and delivery of care for patients, clinicians and policy makers.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  
  ISRCTN41137900.
authors: Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. jacqueline.white@hull.ac.uk
authors: Jacquie
authors: J
authors: White
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Gray
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Swift
authors: Garry R
authors: GR
authors: Barton
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Jones
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000451:nursing; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics; D015897:Comorbidity; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics; D004739:England; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000191:economics; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000451:nursing; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000451:nursing; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013222:State Medicine; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome