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Sheffield Early Intervention Service |
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The Early Intervention Team is: Steve Day Community Mental Health Nurse (full time) Paul Hunt Social Worker (full time) David Lelievre Project Worker (full time from 24/6/02) Jo Nicholson Clinical Psychologist (1 day a week) Sarah Wallace Clinical Psychologist (1 day a week) Dr Mary Hamilton Consultant Psychiatrist (1/2 day a week) (managed by mental health directorate, Community Health Sheffield NHS Trust) At: Northlands Community Health Centre Southey Hill Sheffield S5 8BF Tel. 0114 271 6241 Mobile 07968 087 989 Fax. 0114 271 6214 Why? Around 3 people in 100 will develop psychosis. The traditional approach to care has been like the end of the British Empire - ‘The orderly management of decline.’ There is overwhelming evidence that early identification & treatment of a first breakdown can have a strong positive effect on the course of the illness, & reduce, even prevent the development of serious disability. The average time between onset of the illness & getting treatment is currently 1-2 years. Such long delays will lead to more relapses, & with each relapse, increased disability. This goes some way to explaining the high (15%) mortality. By helping GPs, mental health professionals & workers & the public understand the need for this & providing skilled assessment & fast, intensive, flexible help we can substantially improve the recovery of people with psychosis. By keeping in touch, & not giving up, [rather than requiring attendance at outpatient appointments at the psychiatric unit - where attendance is often <50%-then discharging them], we can help them get the best treatment & empower them to manage their own lives. By providing early, focused proven interventions like cognitive therapy, relapse prevention, social & vocational recovery work, & outreach work, we can help people master this pernicious illness & have a chance of a normal life with all the things many people take for granted, like friends, homes, families & jobs. By providing this service to people for just 2 or 3 years, the effect will last a LIFETIME (80% of people getting this illness are under 30!). Key Actions: Provide health promotional input to local education services to increase awareness & reduce duration of untreated illness. Develop links & protocols with local mental health professionals, GPs & other agencies to improve their understanding & enable fast referral & skilled assessment of people with suspected psychosis. Work with up to 30 young people (age 16-35 in NE Sheffield) with recent onset psychosis, using assertive outreach model of care. Using research proven methods with clients to reduce/prevent relapse & increase people’s control over their illness (e.g.. Engagement work, cognitive therapy, relapse prevention, stress inoculation, coping strategy enhancement, social recovery, vocational support). Go the extra mile with clients, see them where they live don’t give up on them if they don’t come to appointments etc. By doing this, improve their prognosis & normal life potential, & reduce their risk of suicide. Beat the path & lay the ground for much needed Early Psychosis Services across Sheffield. By the End of the Project: Developing Early Psychosis services city-wide in line with the National NHS plan, working in a way that best suits Sheffield. Approx. 30 people who will be far less reliant on mental health services than they would otherwise have been, & who are independent & in control of their lives. Reduced hospital admission rate in NE Sheffield Greater understanding of the illness & needs by GPs, mental health professionals, non-statutory agencies, schools & colleges Reduced duration of untreated psychosis in NE Sheffield, if not Sheffield as a whole |
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