Mapping Care pathways for Patients with Bipolar Disorder

The definition of a clinical audit is that it compares practice to agreed standards such as those defined in NICE guidelines and clinical policies, protocols and procedures. Recording of • mode of referral (emergency, elective) • services with which patients made first contact • clinical state at contact (manic, depressed, psychotic symptoms present or not) • suicide attempts or self-harm • psychiatric comorbidity (unknown, substance abuse, anxiety disorder) • medical comorbidity (unknown, cardiovascular, endocrine, other) • for female patients – relationship to childbirth (prepartum or postpartum) • course (1st episode or recurrent) • stability of diagnosis from 1st contact to study end • HONOS at entry and discharge from services (or study end whichever is earlier) • Any drugs recorded/prescribed • Psychological input recorded • Mode of discharge (planned discharge to GP, referral to other service, disengagement)