This section is for patient questions about IMPARTS. For questions aimed at clinical teams, please click here.
What is IMPARTS?
Integrating Mental & Physical healthcare: Research, Training & Services (IMPARTS) is a programme funded by King’s Health Partners to bring together mind and body care in research, training and clinical services. The IMPARTS programme has the overall goal of improving mental healthcare services within medical settings. This includes routinely screening for anxiety or low mood, and developing mental health referral pathways. In addition, IMPARTS offers training and education, and develops self-help materials related to mind and body care.
Is there a link between physical and mental health?
The mind and body affect each other in many ways. Your physical health may lead you to feel more stressed or have low mood. You may also have found that stress or problems in other areas of your life make it difficult to cope with your physical health. Living with health problems can be hard. It can change your life in many ways. We know that by addressing physical health and mental health together we can get better outcomes.
How does IMPARTS work?
It is helpful to know about how patients are coping and feeling, as it might affect your physical health and healthcare. The IMPARTS questionnaires allow clinicians to identify and support the physical and emotional needs of patients. The questionnaires are either sent as a link as part of your appointment reminder to your phone or can be filled in on a tablet/iPad, which will be shown to you by a member of staff when you come to hospital. It is completed before you go in to see the doctor/clinician. You may be asked some general questions that we ask everyone, or some questions may be related to your health condition. Please speak to a member of staff if you have any difficultly with filling it out.
It may take you around 5 to 10 minutes to fill out the questionnaire the first time you complete it. However the time it takes depends on patients and on the number and type of questionnaires used by the clinic.
You will be asked to use the tablet each time you visit the clinic. However, the tablet will only ask you to fill in the questionnaires after some months (this depends on how often the questionnaires are repeated).
Can I decline to complete these questionnaires?
Yes, you are free to choose whether you complete these questionnaires or not. However, we do encourage you to speak with your healthcare professional before you make a final decision.
Is this a research project?
No, this is a clinical service improvement project. As described below, data may be used for research but the main purpose is to improve patients’ healthcare. Our Research Privacy Policy can be read here.
How is my data used?
The information from the questionnaires is used to help your clinician provide you with the best possible care for your needs. If you think there are issues within the questionnaire that are not discussed with you, do feel free to raise them.
The only people who can access this information when it is linked with your name are the healthcare professionals involved with your care. The clinical team can look at the data from their group of patients (e.g. for audit purposes) in this clinic to help them plan for their future care. Please answer questions as accurately as possible to help your team tailor your care to your needs.
The data may also be used for a research purposes. However, personally identifiable details (e.g. hospital number) will be changed to a pseudonym before this happens. Do ask your clinician if any such research is planned.
How do I know my information will be kept securely?
This information is stored as part of your electronic health record and is kept in line with the same guidelines and policies that govern all clinical and personal information. If you would like to know more about this you can speak to your clinician or visit the Trust website’s patient information section.
I have a question not listed above
Please feel free to email the team on imparts@slam.nhs.uk and we will be happy to help.
imparts.org 