Diagnosis in Psychosis - does it matter?

In recent years a “clinical staging model” has been adopted in psychosis services, recognising that during the “at risk mental state” and the very first episode of psychosis, the exact nature of the underlying diagnosis may take a little time to become apparent. In practice however, people retain a diagnosis of “psychosis unspecified” for quite some time, often for over a year or more. This study will investigate whether this makes it less likely that they will be offered diagnosis-specific treatments where indicated, such as lithium for bipolar disorder, clozapine for schizophrenia, or indeed diagnosis-specific psychological interventions. It will also investigate whether delay in receipt of a specific diagnosis may be associated with poorer outcomes and greater use of services.