Early intervention services

• Early intervention services
• What are ‘prodromal’ symptoms?
• Do early intervention services make a difference?
• How to contact your local early intervention service
• What will happen there?
• When were early intervention services first set up?

Early intervention services

The earlier someone who has symptoms of psychosis gets treated, the better. A number of research studies have reported that the longer people go without having treatment for the symptoms of psychosis, the harder it is to get better.

Early intervention services provide treatment and support for people aged between 14 and 35 who are having symptoms of psychosis for the first time. Some of these services also work with young people who have experiences that could herald the symptoms of psychosis. Doctors call these early experiences ‘prodromal’ symptoms.

Early intervention services also offer care to people aged 14 to 35 during the first three to five years of a psychotic illness. These specialist services have been set up and are available across England.

GPs or specialist mental health services can refer people to an early intervention service, and some early Intervention services allow people to refer themselves, or be referred by family members.

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What are ‘prodromal’ symptoms?

There are often early warning signs before the symptoms of psychosis start. People may start feeling confused and find it hard to cope with life, or have experiences that are strange or frightening, like seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. They may be anxious, or irritable, or depressed, and find it hard to sleep, or need to sleep much more than usual. They may stop wanting to spend time with family members and friends and shut themselves away. They may feel persecuted or harassed (see Paranoia page), or out of control, or feel that something peculiar is happening but not be able to identify what it is.

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Do early intervention services make a difference?

Researchers have followed people who have been supported by mental health professionals working in early intervention services and compared the course of their illness with people who have been treated in general mental health services. The studies have consistently shown that within two years, people who have accessed early intervention services have fewer relapses, are less likely to be admitted to hospital, and have less severe symptoms. There are been few studies, however, following people past two years.

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How to contact your local early intervention service

Ask your GP how to contact your local early intervention service. Early intervention services aim to see people as quickly as possible

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What will happen there?

Early intervention team members will talk to people about their experiences to plan what sort of support, help and treatment is needed. They aim to give people and their families the specific help they need: information to help them make sense of what’s happening, medication, talking therapies, for example.

The treatment offered by early intervention services should be in line with treatment recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, including medication, family therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, and arts therapies. Some early intervention services also offer vocational and welfare advice, and teams work closely with other services and agencies that can help someone get back to work or study, for example.

Early intervention teams are usually made up of a range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and support workers.

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When were early intervention services first set up?

The Department of Health’s 2000 NHS Plan required organisations running mental health services to set up Early Intervention services. The Department of Health’s 2001 Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide listed tasks to be undertaken by early intervention services – including offering evidence-based treatment and promoting the service to encourage young people who are experiencing symptoms which could be warning of a psychotic episode to seek help.