Transfers of Care for Students with First Episode Psychosis & At Risk Mental State: Service Evaluation & Development of Good Practice Guidelines
Poster C89, Wednesday, October%2010, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Stephen Wright1,2, Dan Whitney1, Adam Swallow1, Stephanie Common1; 1Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, 2Hull York Medical School
Student mental health is a prominent issue in the UK. Increasing numbers of young people are entering further education, and the incidence of mental health problems in students is rising. 18-25 year olds are at the most vulnerable age for experiencing First Episode Psychosis (FEP) or At-Risk Mental State (ARMS). Furthermore, the geographical separation of university and family home, often nations apart, challenges the delivery of consistent care and treatment. Method: We looked at the quality of transfers involving students with FEP/ARMS into York EIP service over 1 year, defining students as aged 18-25 years in further education at time of referral. We examined the nature of the transfers between EIP teams and from other sources. We considered the quality of information, whether approved policies were followed and evidence of any gaps in care. Results: 17 students were transferred during the year, of which only 5 were directly coordinated between EIP teams. Students were either resident locally (“home”) or previously resident elsewhere (“away”). Good practice included regular telephone contact between home and away teams, clear referral summaries, and evidence of family involvement, with one or both teams, but this was inconsistent. Referral information was variable and not always summarised optimally in the local electronic records. Conclusions: There was no consistent expectation around what constitutes best practice for safe, effective transfer or shared care between EIP services. We therefore explored this further through wider consultation with service-users, students, carers, staff and regional EIP Networks, to develop consensus guidelines for good practice.
Topic Area: Service System Development and Reform