To review and clarify the large number of psychophenomenological terms used to describe thought disorder. The most recent editions of the major psychiatric textbooks and medical dictionaries in the library of a London teaching hospital were used to compile a list of such terms. The various, often conflicting definitions were compared.

There were 68 terms identified. There was significant redundancy in these terms (i.e. more terms than significantly different concepts described). Different sources gave different definitions for the same terms.

The understanding of many of the terms used to describe thought disorder is poor. This is confusing for clinicians, trainees and patients.

The study aimed to assess the current provision of psychoeducation programmes for patients with mental illness in the UK. A postal questionnaire was sent randomly to 100 community mental health teams regarding the delivery and characteristics of psychoeducation programmes. Non-responders were contacted via telephone after 8 weeks.

The response rate was 87%. Eight services provided group psychoeducation, 40 provided individual psychoeducation within the care programme approach, and 39 did not provide any psychoeducation programme.

Patients with mental illnesses have limited access to psychoeducation in routine care. Group programmes should perhaps be more widely implemented as a relatively low-cost intervention.

Mental illness is associated with increased physical morbidity. We aimed to assess and improve the routine blood testing of prescribed antipsychotics in out-patients from a busy London inner city area. Audit findings were presented locally to prescribers, together with educational suggestions to improve physical health assessment.

Initially, the numbers monitored were low in the overall number of 126 patients included in the first audit. Following the intervention, this improved significantly in the second audit (of 106 patients).

A simple one-page monitoring prompt and an educational intervention could significantly increase the adherence to routine blood-testing guidelines. Better physical screening may help reduce physical morbidity and mortality, and improve the quality of life of individuals with mental illness.

The aim of this literature analysis was to establish the range of doses of haloperidol decanoate effective in preventing relapse in schizophrenia. Studies reporting relapse rates in patients treated for longer than 6 months were included. Relapse rate was then plotted against dose or log dose to allow drawing of dose–response curves.

Fifteen publications reporting 13 individual studies were identified. of these, 6 studies met inclusion criteria and were analysed. Dose–response curves indicated limited effect at 25 mg/4 weeks but near maximal effect at doses of 50 mg/4 weeks. There was no clear evidence that increasing the dose above 100 mg/4 weeks provided additional benefit in preventing relapse.

The recommended dose range for haloperidol decanoate (50–300 mg/ 4 weeks) does not reflect the findings of this study. Optimally effective doses appear to be around 50–100 mg/4 weeks. The use of doses above 100 mg/4 weeks is difficult to support given data available.

This study used data collected to describe the activity, case-load characteristics and outcome measures for all patients seen during a 6-year period.

The service reviewed 2153 patients over 6 years with referral rates and case-load characteristics comparable to those described in a previous study period. The team saw 82% of patients on the day they were referred. Data and outcome measures collected showed significant complexity in the cases seen and statistically significant improvement in Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) scores following service input.

The outcome measures used were limited, but the study supports the need for specialist liaison psychiatry for older adults (LPOA) services in the general hospital. The Framework of Outcome Measures – Liaison Psychiatry has now been introduced, but it remains unclear how valid this is in LPOA. It is of note that cost-effectiveness secondary to service input and training activities are not adequately monitored.

None.

A cross-sectional survey was performed on 318 patients receiving depot medication. The presence or absence of a depot site reaction was recorded by psychiatric nursing staff on a standardised form.

Seventeen per cent of patients were found to have clinically significant depot site reactions. Such reactions were associated with increased frequency of injection and increased total volume of depot administered in the previous 12 months. The severity of a depot site reaction was unrelated to the concentration of depot preparation administered.

Depot site reactions may be reduced by maximising the interval between injections and using low volume (highly concentrated) preparations of depot neuroleptic medication.

Memory clinics have become very popular in old age psychiatry and there is some pressure for them to be developed in old age services. However, there is little evidence to suggest that they are more advantageous over the traditional domiciliary visits or who should be seen in clinic. This was a naturalistic comparison of 76 consecutive new referrals to a memory clinic, with 74 consecutive new domiciliary requests within the same service over the same period of time. A retrospective case note review collected the clinical features and an 18-month prospective follow-up examined the subsequent clinical management.

The two groups were characterised more by their similarities than their differences. However, the domiciliary group had greater behavioural and psychological complications. The memory clinic patients were less likely to receive psychotropic medication and here more likely to be followed up.

We conclude that memory clinics might be less suitable for patients with prominent psychiatric complications. Memory clinics could complement the domiciliary model by providing early psychosocial/neuropsychiatric approaches, although this is likely to lead to an increased clinical case-load.

To determine which recreational drugs are most readily offered in ‘head shops’, and what safety information is provided; and determine sales assistants' knowledge about the mental health complications of cannabis. Researchers surveyed ten head shops in Dublin.

Sales assistants in all head shops described their products as legal and safe. Overall, 50% stated cannabis was generally not harmful, although 50% stated it might cause depression and 60% stated it might cause psychosis in susceptible people. Salvia was available in 90% of outlets, although sales assistants in 78% warned about its potency.

Legal, psychoactive drugs, some of which are banned in other jurisdictions, are readily available in Dublin head shops. Enhanced awareness and effective regulation are required.