ABSTRACT
Richmond Fellowship Society (India) [RFS(I)] is a "Not for Profit" Non-Governmental Organization working for the psychosocial rehabilitation of persons with chronic mental illness. The RFS(I) Bangalore branch runs a daycare, half-way home, and long-stay facility. This paper describes the RFS(I) Bangalore branch's experience running psychiatric rehabilitation facilities during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, including managing a COVID-19 outbreak in the residential facilities.
ABSTRACT
Providing optimal care to patients with recent-onset psychosis can improve outcomes and reduce relapse. However, there is a lack of consistency of the implementation of guidelines for such patients across the Asia-Pacific region. We determined a pragmatic set of recommendations for use on a day-to-day basis to help provide optimal care at this crucial stage of illness. The recommendations were developed over a series of meetings by an international faculty of 15 experts from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and South Africa. A structured search of the PubMed database was conducted. This was further developed based on the faculty's clinical experience and knowledge of the literature into 10 key aspects of optimal care for patients during the first five years of a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, with particular relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. Several common principles emerged: adherence to antipsychotic medications is crucial; substance abuse, psychiatric and medical comorbidities should be addressed; psychosocial interventions play a pivotal role; and family members can play a vital role in overall patient care. By following these recommendations, clinicians may improve outcomes for patients with recent-onset psychosis.
