Supporting Physical Activity through Co-Production in people with Severe Mental Illness (SPACES)

People with severe mental illness die years earlier than the general population, largely from preventable physical health conditions that exercise could help address. This matters because the life expectancy gap for people with conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder is driven by high rates of heart disease, diabetes, and other physical illnesses that remain poorly managed. Standard physical activity programmes often fail to engage this group, and there is little rigorous evidence on what works. The SPACES project tests whether a physical activity programme designed together with people who have severe mental illness—rather than imposed by clinicians—can actually increase how much they move. The researchers will compare this co-designed programme against usual care, measuring effects on physical activity levels, mental health, and quality of life, as well as whether it offers value for money. If the programme proves effective, it could give NHS mental health services a practical, evidence-based tool to close the physical health gap. That would mean fewer preventable deaths and a better quality of life for a group that current services routinely fail.