As part of our ongoing work with City of Wolverhampton Council on improving support for individuals with Severe Mental Illness (SMI), we spoke with a willing individual who was eager to share her lived experience of SMI.

After diagnosis of SMI in 2021 whilst living in Walsall, she felt her physical health was neglected after significantly gaining weight due to a side effect of antidepressants and antipsychotics – which she feels was not addressed or monitored.

During our conversation, it was noted that she had recently moved out of the Black Country borough to Staffordshire, where she feels she has experienced differences in the quality and comprehensiveness of care.

Upon moving to Stafford, her new GP recognised the risks associated with taking certain medications and was referred for ECGs and medication reviews, something which wasn’t even talked about previously. In addition to this, she received thorough blood tests, leading to the diagnosis of pre-diabetes, liver disease and chronic gastritis.

During the conversation, she emphasised the need for a more active approach in the Black Country with difference aspects of care, with integration between physical and mental health services. In particular, GPs should be in contact closely with mental health professionals, considering all aspects of their health.

The individual was invited to support planning and running of our open invite event on Saturday 7 May 2025 at the Rethink Sanctuary Hub for to share their living experience for those who attend across the Black Country.

The Solace Community provides housing advice and temporary accommodation for vulnerable individuals with underlying health conditions in the Wolverhampton. It is a non-profit organisation dedicated to break the cycle of homelessness.

As part of our work to make connections between homelessness and health, we spoke with an Interagency and Wellbeing Coordinator from The Solace Community to gain a deeper understanding on their significant impact on homeless individuals across the Black Country.

During our conversation, it was noted that engaging tenants is challenging due to mental health issues, often exacerbated by alcohol and drug use. This often results in poor self-management, difficulties in managing finances and lifestyle and neglect of personal care.

Most of the tenants at The Solace Community have experienced trauma which leads to trust issues and predisposition to failure. Therefore, each tenant receives one-to-one individualised support at least four times per week.

Colleagues at The Solace Community have established strong connections with P3 Charity and Good Shephard, allowing them to work collaboratively to improve homelessness across the city.

To also help expand their networks with individuals who can assist them with providing appropriate referral pathways to enhance health, wellbeing and happiness, our Involvement Team have connected their colleagues with the Specialist Commissioner for Mental Health at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

In addition to this, connections have also been made with Rethink Mental Illness in Wolverhampton also.