The National Clinical Audit of Psychosis (NCAP) has published its Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) audit 2021/22 report for England. It presents national and organisation-level findings on services provided to people with first-episode psychosis (FEP).  The report commends teams for maintaining EIP service delivery at a high level in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also looked at the disparities in EIP care between different groups of people with FEP to highlight inequalities.  Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services are specialised services that aim to provide prompt assessment and evidence-based treatments to people with first-episode psychosis (FEP). The standards for the EIP audit are based on the Implementing the Early Intervention in Psychosis Access and Waiting Time Standard guidance (NHS England, NICE & NCCMH, 2016), which details a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended package of EIP care for treating and managing psychosis (NICE Quality Standard [QS] 80, 2015; NICE QS102, 2015). All NHS-funded EIP teams in England were expected to take part in the audit and data were collected via a case-note audit.  All the four London Boroughs in NELFT; Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest participated in this national audit.

Excellent results have been achieved for NELFT, in the “Domains” as follows:

1. All the four London Boroughs, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest are top performing for “timely access to services”.
2. Barking and Dagenham, and Redbridge are top performing for “Recording outcome measures”.
3. Barking and Dagenham is top performing for “Provision of Children and Young people services ”.

Audit recommendations are that all Trusts should review the Mental Health Inequalities Strategy alongside local and national data, develop a strategy to identify and address mental health inequalities that influence access to or uptake of interventions for people with first episode psychosis (FEP), and work with commissioners and regional networks to ensure equitable access, experience, and outcomes.