Authors: Bev Moss, NSW
Year: 2000
Event: 2000 TheMHS Conference
Subject: book of proceedings, Early Intervention Strategies, Prevention/Promotion Early Intervention
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract: The early Intervention project officer in Northern Sydney has the task of building on the work already done by staff in the field of early psychosis and developing practice guidelines which are evidence-based, practical and user friendly.
As part of this process, the project officer interviewed 18 psychiatrists working in Northern Sydney mental health and adolescent services on a range of issues relating to medication strategies for the treatment of first episode psychosis in young people. Their responses were compiled in a report and this formed the basis for further discussion and the development of consensus guidelines.
The aim of this paper is to provide an understanding of the process of developing the guidelines and information about current thinking in Northern Sydney on medication strategies and related issues.
Northern Sydney area has a population of approximately 750,000. The area includes suburbs on the north shore of the harbour and northern beaches, extending to Ryde in the west and Hornsby to the north. The area is divided into 4 sub-areas. Each sub-area has an acute psychiatric in-patient unit, community mental health and adolescent services. The services in the sub-areas are structured in different ways, and 3 sub-areas have a discrete early psychosis team. Over the past 2 years, the trend has been towards an area-wide approach, and therefore the guidelines developed by the project officer will be adopted across Northern Sydney. The project commenced in December 1999 and is funded for 2 years.
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