1 August 2022

CNWL staff from the Hillingdon and Harrow Early Intervention Service have presented at the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) National Conference.

The conference, held on 23 July, provides updates on the latest developments in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

The presentation revealed for the first time, dozens of evidence-based links between specific first episode delusion features (e.g. conviction) and types of clinical significances (e.g. bio-psycho-social consequences). The full findings will be published later this year.

Dr David Raune, CNWL’s Clinical Psychologist at the service, which is for people experiencing their first episode of psychosis, said:

“Our Early Intervention Psychosis Phenomenology Programme at CNWL has already provided important quality improvement information about staff assessments and the prevention of physical harm, and multidisciplinary staff training on this has already commenced.

"This illuminates what clinical staff need to be aware of in terms of understanding the links between different features of delusions and clinically important problems such as prior trauma and current emotional disorders, and how this should influence staff clinical assessments, formulations and therapeutic targets.

“I want to thank Alastair Penman (Hillingdon Borough Director) and Krishan Sahota (Team Manager, NOCLOR) for their support to achieve this new clinical breakthrough.”