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Professional attitudes in the UK towards neuroleptic maintenance therapy in schizophrenia

The problem of inadequate prophylaxis

South Manchester University Hospitals (NHS) Trust, c/o 14 St John's Street, Manchester M3 4DZ

J. G. C. Rasmussen, Leacroft Medical Practice, Leacroft^*

Ifield Road, West Green, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7BS

^* Correspondence

Controlled trials show that about 80% of schizophrenic patients remain relapse free when given adequate neuroleptic maintenance therapy but this level of efficacy is not achieved in clinical practice. Guidelines for proper use of neuroleptics in relapse prevention were developed by a group of experienced psychiatrists — the ‘Consensus Group’ — in 1989. In this survey, the views of UK psychiatrists, GPs, CPNs and pharmacists involved in community care of schizophrenia were compared with the Guidelines.

A substantial proportion of respondents suggested shorter periods of neuroleptic maintenance than recommended and large regional variations were apparent. The results suggest that there remains substantial professional failure to follow present guidelines or to assure adequate neuroleptic prophylaxis for schizophrenia.

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