A recent systematic review published in BJPsych Open (Abichi et al., 2026) examined outcomes for people with long-term physical health conditions accessing NHS Talking Therapies.
The findings are instructive.
People living with long-term conditions engaged with therapy at similar rates to those without.
However, their outcomes were consistently poorer, with lower recovery rates and higher levels of post-treatment psychological distress under standard care pathways.
This reflects a structural challenge within mental healthcare delivery.
Standardised pathways are not always designed for individuals managing overlapping physical and psychological needs.
Encouragingly, the review also found that tailored, higher-intensity interventions delivered by clinicians with relevant expertise were associated with significantly improved recovery outcomes.
These findings point toward an emerging shift.
As patient complexity increases, service models are likely to evolve beyond standardised pathways toward approaches that better reflect the interaction between physical health, mental wellbeing and functional impact.
This represents less a refinement of existing provision and more a recalibration of how support is designed and delivered.
Reference
Abichi, M.C. et al. (2026). Current treatment outcomes and care pathways for people with comorbid physical and mental health conditions using NHS Talking Therapies services in the UK: systematic review of quantitative studies. BJPsych Open.