Early Intervention in Psychosis

Established: mid 2003; first meeting convened 20.10.03; now completed

Convenor (Chair): Professor Max Birchwood, University of Birmingham

Members: Richard Bentall, Paul Bebbington, Max Birchwood, Tom Craig, Tim Croudace, Philipa Garety, Glynn Harrison, Peter Jones, Eileen Joyce, Helen Lester, Shon Lewis, Max Marshall, Til Wykes.

Remit and Aims:
This was the first research group established by the MHRN and considered the key research questions that require large-scale multi-centre projects to investigate methods of detecting and treating individuals at high risk of developing psychosis.

Current Status & Future Plans:
The group organised ‘two horizon scanning’ days to scope the area, the outcome of which was a comprehensive research programme of work. A number of outline proposals were developed, led by different UK MHRN hubs. The group seized upon a number of grant-funding opportunities which enabled many of these outline proposals to be folded together. The research group has been particularly successful with grant applications and in supporting ongoing projects as they develop into full applications:

Psygrid: This project, which seeks to build an E-science infrastructure for the MHRN to accelerate key areas of research to improve the treatment of people in their first episode of psychosis, is progressing well. Recruitment of the study research nurses within each of the eight MHRN hubs has taken place, training is being completed and set up for recruitment is on track.

National EDEN: This project is now under way following an intense training period - Data collection started in November, 2005.

The MRC ‘EDIE-2’ trial: This trial has been approved by the MRC and was due to begin in March, 2006. Unfortunately the start date has had to move to 1st August 2006 due to DH funding embargo relating to the awarded Excess Treatment Costs.

Furthermore, members of the group (Paddy Power, Shôn Lewis and Max Birchwood) were successful in attracting the next IEPA international conference on early psychosis to the UK, to be held in Birmingham, Oct 4-6th 2006. This is a prestigious international conference and will provide an excellent platform for UK early intervention in psychosis research and consolidate the UK as a Centre of International Excellence in this research area.

Further research plans are being developed through these networks, particularly the National EDEN and PSYGRID projects which provide an excellent basis for additional research in coming years. The group submitted a new tender under the 2006 call for Research Group, to address the next generation of research questions, which was successful.