There is a clear association between mental illness and poor physical health. Standardized mortality ratio shows an increased risk of death for many psychiatric illnesses. Physical illness may cause or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. Psychotropic medications can cause iatrogenic diseases such as diabetes and cardiac arrhythmias. In view of these psychiatric population needs effective physical health monitoring but such monitoring requires equipment. Our primary aim was to examine psychiatrist's access to medical equipment.

A non-random sample of 181 consultant psychiatrists from the West Midlands were asked to complete a postal questionnaire detailing medical equipment accessibility, as well as their views on monitoring physical health in patients using psychiatric services.

98 (54%) consultant psychiatrists from a wide range of psychiatric specialties responded to a single mailing. In general, psychiatrists did not have ready access to commonly used equipment even if hospital based. Psychiatrists who were predominantly community based were even more disadvantaged. Less than half the sample undertook routine monitoring of patients on atypical antipsychotics and a similar proportion believed this to be a primary care responsibility.

Poor access to medical equipment is common and must impede psychiatrist's ability to provide physical healthcare for their patients. Lack of equipment may reflect the view that physical healthcare is not the psychiatrist's responsibility but increasing concerns about psychotropic side effects and lack of access to physical healthcare for mentally ill patients challenge this belief.