Oral Test II
1509 522 Clinical Epidemiology and EBM
Scenario II
You are working as a healthcare professional in the Community Psychiatry Department of the Mental Health Hospital. Tom is your friend who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder. Tom has a care coordinator in the local community mental health team. He uses alcohol and cannabis most days and claims that these do not cause him any difficulties. He does not want to be referred to drug and alcohol services.
Tom has recently become friendly with Joe, another service user who has a significant drug (crack and cannabis) and alcohol problem. A further service user, who lives in the same block, has reported that Joe spends a lot of time at
Tom’s flat and sometimes takes other friends there too. This service user adds that Joe is taking money from Tom to buy his own drink and drugs, and that when he is drunk he becomes angry and aggressive and has hit Tom.
You need to invite Tom and Joe accepts to receive a palliative care with psychotherapy as soon as possible.
Question
Before you make a decision to recommend treatment choices, at which time you can offer them the effective therapy. What do you do?