For me Equally Well feels like a “bridge” between Physical and Mental Health.  As a person, I cannot put my mental health in one place and my physical health in another.  I carry both these things within my one person.  My goal for Equally Well is that it continues to break down silo-ed thinking that physical and mental health are separate issues.  The goal is health. 

At this time when change and challenges across the mental health sector are seen nationally and felt locally, Equally Well renews its call to all sides of parliament to take action for health equity for people living with mental illness.

In the first in our fact sheet series at Equally well we are focussing on blood cancers with data from our Unequally Unwell Report showing in Australia blood and lymph cancers accounted for 1,865 deaths among people accessing mental health-related treatments.

Newly published research from Cancer Council NSW’s Tackling Tobacco program reveals evidence of an effective organisational change initiative at increasing the offer of quit smoking support, including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), to people accessing community mental health organisations.

Physical activity is an evidence-based strategy for addressing physical health and supporting in mental health recovery, yet many adults with complex mental health challenges face significant barriers to regular movement.

Equally Well calls for priority on physical health factors in National Suicide Strategy submission.

Lived experience was centre stage at the 2024 Equally Well Forum where innovation and impact for improving the wellbeing of people living with mental illness have been celebrated in the 2024 Equally Well Achievement Awards.

Lived experience was centre stage at the 2024 Equally Well Forum where innovation and impact for improving the wellbeing of people living with mental illness have been celebrated in the 2024 Equally Well Achievement Awards.

Lived experience was centre stage at the 2024 Equally Well Forum where innovation and impact for improving the wellbeing of people living with mental illness have been celebrated in the 2024 Equally Well Achievement Awards.

In 2024 Dr Justin Chapman who brings his research and lived experience perspectives, will be joining us as our event correspondent. With the good humour and expert knowledge of the field, Justin will be sharing stories in blog and video posts from the event on our Equally Well website newsletters and in our socials, showcasing groups and individuals who are out there doing great work to support our collective mission.

Equally Well Ambassador David Everitt is taking the Equally Well mission out to his veteran’s community and changing lives. David Everitt didn’t realise it at the time, but a mental breakdown in his 50’s, the result of delayed PTSD from his time serving in the Vietnam War, would become the thing that actually saved his life.

Three research teams will share in over $5.1 million in targeted funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to investigate ways to improve the physical health of people with mental illness. The NHMRC grants will support three new initiatives that further enhance the impact of Equally Well in the collective mission of our supporters and partners to reduce the life expectancy gap for people living with mental illness.