Optimising the delivery of ‘Early Intervention in Psychosis’ services
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Optimising the delivery of ‘Early Intervention in Psychosis’ services: a qualitative exploration of associations between components of care and outcomes.
IRAS ID
331282
Contact name
Mike Crawford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Psychosis is a severe mental health condition characterised by hallucinations and paranoid beliefs. Psychosis can be very confusing and upsetting, and interfere with study, work and relationships. More than 1 in 100 people will suffer from psychosis during their lifetime.
There are effective treatments for psychosis, including medications and psychological therapies. Support for patients’ families, and practical help with education and employment are also important. To try to ensure that all people who develop psychosis get the best available treatment, specialised services called ‘Early Intervention in Psychosis’ (EIP) teams were set up throughout England. Studies have found that people who are treated by EIP teams have better outcomes than those who are not.
In 2019 a national audit found large differences in the care provided by EIP teams. For instance, only half of people received a recommended psychological therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and only a third of patients’ families received proper support. Currently, we do not know what the reasons are for these differences, or how they impact service users’ experience of care or future health.
We plan to conduct a study of EIP teams in England to answer some of these questions, by interviewing people who use and provide EIP services. We aim to gain a better understanding of how the care that people receive affects their mental health and their future use of health services. We also aim to identify reasons why there are differences in the care provided by different EIP services.
We will include a wide range of people from different social and ethnic backgrounds in this research. We will be advised by a group of people who have used EIP services who will make sure that the questions we ask are meaningful and important to the people we are trying to help.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0216
Date of REC Opinion
19 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion