This UK guideline covers how to improve services for people aged 14 and above who have been diagnosed as having coexisting severe mental illness and substance misuse. The aim is to provide a range of coordinated services that address people’s wider health and social care needs, as well as other issues such as employment and housing. 

NICE has also produced a guideline on coexisting severe mental illness (psychosis) and substance misuse: assessment and management in healthcare settings. 

This guideline includes recommendations on:

• first contact with services
• referral to secondary care mental health services
• the care plan: multi-agency approach to address physical health, social care, housing and other support needs
• partnership working between specialist services, health, social care and other support services and commissioners
• improving service delivery
• maintaining contact between services and people with coexisting severe mental illness and substance misuse who use them

  Who is it for?

• Commissioners and providers including those working in primary care
• Staff working in all services who come into contact with this group
• The criminal justice system
• Voluntary and community sector organisations
• People aged 14 and above diagnosed as having coexisting severe mental illness and substance misuse and who live in the community, their families and carers