People with severe mental ill health (SMI) experience some of the largest health inequalities of any sector within society. For these inequalities to be reduced, an understanding of the behavioural determinants of health in this population is needed.

Utilising data from the Closing the Gap Health Study, we aimed to assess the extent to which people with SMI report health-risk factors and behaviours, their interest in modifying them, and the factors associated with being motivated to modify these behaviours.

Adult (≥18 years old) participants were recruited via primary and secondary care in the English National Health Service. To be eligible, participants needed to have a documented diagnosis of schizophrenia, psychotic disorders or bipolar disorder. Data were collected by survey on demographics, general physical health, diet, physical activity, alcohol, smoking and body mass index.

Between April 2016 and March 2020, n = 9914 participants were recruited. Among people with SMI, high rates of obesity (37.5%), infrequent physical activity (62.0%), not meeting current guidelines (≥5) for the consumption of fruit and vegetables (85.0%) and smoking (42.2%) were observed. However, most participants were motivated to reduce health-risk behaviours. Perceiving the importance of health-promoting behaviours, being of poorer general health and being female were significantly associated with being motivated to modify health-risk behaviours.

Despite experiencing poor physical and mental health outcomes compared with the general population, and contrary to popular misconceptions, people with SMI perceive health as important and are motivated to make behavioural changes to improve health.

Given that smoking results in poor physical and mental health, reducing tobacco harm is of high importance. Recommendations published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to reduce smoking harms included provision of support, use of nicotine containing products and commissioning of smoking cessation services.

This report explores the difficulties in obtaining such support, as observed in a recently conducted randomised controlled trial in patients with severe mental ill health, and outlines suggestions to improve facilitation of provision.

Data collected during the Smoking Cessation Intervention for Severe Mental Ill Health Trial (SCIMITAR+) (trial Registration ISRCTN72955454), was reviewed to identify the difficulties experienced, across the trial, with regards to access and provision of nicotine replacements therapy (NRT). Actions taken to facilitate access and provision of NRT were collated to outline how provision could be better facilitated.

Access to NRT varied across study settings and in some instances proved impossible for patients to access. Difficulty in access was irrespective of a diagnosis of severe mental ill health. Where NRT was provided, this was not always provided in accordance with NICE guidelines.

Availability of smoking cessation support, and NRT provision would benefit from being made clearer, simpler and more easily accessible so as to enhance smoking cessation rates.

The SCIMITAR+ trial was commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of a bespoke smoking cessation intervention for people with severe mental ill health compared with usual services. It is difficult to define what constitutes usual care in smoking cessation services. We aimed to define what this was during the trial. Twenty-two National Health Service healthcare providers participated in a bespoke survey asking about usual care in their area.

All sites offered smoking cessation support; however, service provider and service type varied substantially. In some cases services were not streamlined, meaning that people received smoking cessation counselling from one organisation and smoking cessation medication from another.

To better implement the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline PH48, clearer referral pathways need to be implemented and communicated to patients, staff and carers. People with severe mental ill health need to be able to access services that combine nicotine replacement therapy and behavioural support in a streamlined manner.