First Episode Psychosis Service (EPS): Evaluation of Implementation in a Rural Australian Setting

Abstract

Introduction

Recent decades, has seen an increasing focus on developing specific early or first episode psychosis services, in various parts of the world. There has been a growing awareness of the emotional impact of psychosis like trauma at onset, suicide and loss of social network. There is also a co relational link between the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and outcomes. The first 2–3 years following first episode onset have been argued to be a critical period for treatment.

Method

Our study was an evaluation of an early psychosis service (EPS) in a rural Australian MHS ‘experiencing’ or ‘at risk’ of experiencing first episode psychosis. The guidelines were based on the Australian clinical guidelines for early psychosis (1998). The audit tool used was a checklist based on 10 treatment guidelines developed by the EPS special interest group evaluation sub-committee.

Results

The overall results show that 7 out of the 10 treatment guidelines were well adhered throughout the implementation process. Guidelines strongly adhered to were numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10, whereas guidelines 1, 4, and 9 were poorly adhered to.

Discussion

The implementation process was found to be generally effective. The factors that influenced the effectiveness will be discussed in the poster.

Conclusion

There were a number of trends when we looked at the overall results which included aspects of the guidelines that were done well and aspects that needed improvement which will be further discussed in the poster.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.