Mental health service pathways for individuals meeting ARMS criteria in a UK early intervention service
Poster C104, Wednesday, October%2010, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Sushma Datla1,2, Andrew Thompson1,3; 1Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust, UK, 2University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, UK, 3University of Warwick, UK
Background: From April 2016, NHS England required over 50% of people experiencing first episode psychosis (FEP) or at risk mental state (ARMS) to be assessed and engaged with services, including access to a care coordinator, within 2 weeks of referral. There was an expectation that service provision for patients with ARMS would improve greatly (Stain et al, 2017). However, due to significant pressures on services to assess and manage these patients with existing resources, patients often have to be signposted to alternative services. Aim: To examine subsequent assessment and treatment pathways for ARMS patients referred to an Early Intervention (EI) service in the UK including acceptance to caseloads and signposting to alternative services. Methods: Consecutive referrals to the North Warwickshire EI team in 2017 were identified. Data on demographics, referral information, identified co-morbidities, use of CAARMS assessment, and outcome of assessment were collected from the case files using a predefined proforma. Where the patient was not taken onto caseload, information on services they were referred to, were also collected. Results: There were 111 patients referred to the service in 2017. We will present data on the patients' demographics, the distribution of common co-morbidities e.g. depression, their subsequent destination of care, and the reason for signposting, if this occurred. Conclusion: Based on the data above, we will consider how or why patients are signposted to other services. We will attempt to draw conclusions on the implications of the new targets on EI and services to which the patient's are signposted.
Topic Area: Service System Development and Reform