Service detail

Anyone aged 17 - 65 with a first episode of psychosis or people having had a psychotic episode or receiving their first treatment for psychosis in the last 12 months will be assessed and engaged with by the team.

The service will accept referrals for individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

• Living within the London Boroughs served by the team
• Aged 17 – 65
• With a level of risk manageable within the community
• With a primary diagnosis, or suspected diagnosis, of psychotic disorder.

Clients with affective disorder (Bipolar I disorder or recurrent depression) may be appropriate if they have psychotic symptoms

• We will accept transfers from other EIS teams still within their first two years of treatment.
• People with psychosis and secondary drug abuse or co-morbid personality disorders will not be excluded

 Exclusion criteria:

• Clients over the age of 35 with a Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) of 5 years or more may not be considered appropriate, we will assess on a case-by-case basis (in line with LEIN Policy 2023).
• Clients who had previous contact with mental health services for psychosis (more than 12 months ago).
• Clients with primary treatment needs related to a diagnosis of personality disorder.
• Transient substance-induced psychosis will not be considered appropriate (those only psychotic in the context of intoxication with substance).
• Clients with a long history of bipolar disorder or recurrent depression may not be considered appropriate and will be considered on a case by case basis.
• Clients with organic psychosis
• Patients with a moderate to severe Learning Disability or Neurodevelopmental disorder who develop psychosis and are likely to have their needs best met in the relevant services. 
• There is currently no at risk mental state service (ARMS) in SWLSTG Trust. 

Decisions about acceptance into the Early Intervention Service may be helpfully guided by several key principles. These include: 

• Early Intervention (EI) should be offered to service users whose needs justify the resources and pertinent expertise allocated.
• Provision of an extended assessment to improve decision making is good practice.
• An inclusive approach (particularly for disadvantaged groups) is essential.
• Willingness to engage in partnership working if key expertise is held by other services.
• The predominant clinical needs of the service user should be at the heart of any decision on eligibility for EI services.
• EI services will offer expertise and support in all First Episode Psychosis (FEP) cases when psychotic symptoms are present, however, where the predominant need is not psychosis but another co-morbid difficulty or long term condition, overall responsibility for care may be more appropriately led by the service which is providing support for the primary difficulty. (NIMHE (EI) acceptance criteria guidance 2008).