The Early Intervention Service (EIS) is dedicated to the assessment and management of people who have presented to specialist mental health services with a first episode of psychosis.

EIS aims to give people the best chance of recovery after a first episode of psychosis and reduce the severity of relapses.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• Camden residents
• aged 14-64
• The individual has experienced a period of psychosis of at least one week unless curtailed by treatment before the week is up
• period of psychosis accompanied by significant risk of decline in functioning
• it is the first episode of diagnosed psychosis
• has not been treated for a psychotic illness for more than 6 weeks UNLESS this was started in the last 3 months
• period is not considered drug-induced (if they were initially well, then acutely unwell following drug use, then have made a rapid recovery)
• symptoms must not be wholly explicable in the context of PTSD and/or Personality Disorder (e.g. Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder)

Joint working and consultation rather than assumed transfer of care:

• individuals who are already under substance misuse services will be offered joint working and recommendations for management rather than assumed transfer of care to CEIS
• individuals who are already under Personality Disorder services will be offered joint working/consultation for treatment for Psychosis rather than assumed transfer of care to CEIS

We will consider cases where very unusual behaviour or a severe decline in social functioning provides very strong circumstantial evidence that psychotic symptoms are present, even though they have not been directly elicited.

Exclusions

• referrals will not be eligible for EIS if there is a clear organic cause for their psychosis
• referrals will not be eligible for EIS if they are aged over 35 and have experienced 3 years or more of untreated psychosis (DUP: Duration of Untreated Psychosis)

How to Refer