Early Intervention in Psychosis (Insight Team)

The Barnsley early intervention in psychosis team supports the early identification of psychosis in people aged 14 to 65.

The team offers support for those experiencing a first episode psychosis in ages 14 to 65 and those who may be at risk of psychosis in the ages of 14 to 35.

The team provides psychosocial interventions (treating and preventing a condition using educational and behavioural approaches) to improve the long-term outcomes for people experiencing psychosis. The team support people’s treatment and recovery outside of the mainstream mental health system.

The service aims to:

• Reduce the stigma associated with psychosis and improve professional and general public awareness of the symptoms of early psychosis
• Promoting the need and benefits of an early assessment
• Reduce the period of time people remain undiagnosed and untreated
• Develop meaningful engagement, provide evidence-based interventions, and promote recovery during the early stages of psychosis
• Increase the stability of the lives of the people accessing the service
• Provide a person-centred service that integrates the child, adolescent and adult mental health services and works in partnership with primary care services, family services and youth services
• Work in partnership with other services to ensure that the young people accessing the service have quick and easy pathways into appropriate services
• Provide training, advice, and consultation with other service providers who may be working with this group of service users to help them respond in more efficient ways
• Provide structure and activities to develop life and employment skills

The team can offer earlier and later weekday appointments by request.

Support offered

A range of support and interventions are offered by the team. They include:

• Assessment: a range of specialist assessments including assessment for an ‘at risk’ mental state, recovery focused and symptom-specific assessments
• Allocation of a care coordinator
• Care plan or care package produced with the service user’s involvement
• Outcome and evidence-based interventions including psychological interventions (methods used to bring about change in an individual) around the person’s psychotic experiences or accompanying anxiety or depression
• Monitoring of medication, concordance (where staff and service user make decisions about medication together) and impact on mental health symptoms
• Physical health monitoring in relation to prescribed medication
• Promotion of self-management
• Health and wellbeing advice and support
• Access to vocational support services (support to return to employment or education)
• Social/leisure activities (football, pool, snooker, swimming, cinema)
• Education/advice and support around substance misuse
• Support for finance management
• Support for tenancy management
• Family interventions
• Carer assessment/ support
• Access to local groups and services
• Evaluation and review of care and treatment
• Risk assessment and management plan
• Crisis and contingency plan

Accessing the service

• Tel: 01226 644166

Base:  Early intervention team, Kendray Hospital, Doncaster Road, Kendray, Barnsley, S70 3RD

Hours:        Monday to Friday 8.00 to 8.00 pm

Saturday and Sunday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

Who should be referred

All new referrals for assessment are allocated during the weekly team meeting held on Tuesdays (unless it is required to be actioned sooner if urgent). Referrals are accepted by telephone, letter and/or fax.

Referral Criteria:

• Aged 14-35 years of age.
• Suspicion and/or evidence of psychosis.
• A decline in social functioning.
• Evidence that this is a first episode (experiences associated with psychosis, previously untreated of less than 3 years. Or treated with antipsychotic medication of less than 1 year prior to referral).
• Individuals aged 14 to 35. Those over 35 years of age, but with a clear first episode of psychosis, will be considered if the team has the capacity at the point of referral.

Exclusion criteria:

• History of psychotic experiences for more than 3 years, if untreated.
• History of psychosis for more than 1 year if receiving a service elsewhere/treatment commenced for more than 12 months.

Urgent same day referrals:

These will be accepted by the healthcare professional making the referral. Self and/or carer referrals will be classed as ‘routine’ and seen within 14 days of referring. The majority of referrals, including self-referrals, are normally seen within one week.

Updated:  February 2025