Cambridge Psychosis Centre

Cambridge Psychosis Centre

Our multidisciplinary team of experts provides specialist advice and guidance for the pharmacological management and treatment of schizophrenia. We are a research active service and offer opportunities for people to test cutting-edge novel therapies and treatments, translating the latest discoveries into psychosis care. We can also provide assistance with new medicines and non-formulary prescriptions.

People diagnosed with schizophrenia experience a wide range of symptoms which include delusions and hallucinations but also negative symptoms such as lack of motivation and memory problems, as well as anxiety, depression, movement disorders and physical health problems. 
The pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia symptoms can be very complex and not all patients respond well to antipsychotics, which can cause significant side effects.

Our specialist service works at the forefront of psychosis research to support the most complex cases which may be resistant to standard treatments. We work with patients to find new routes to recovery, considering all available evidence-based options.

How our service can help

The Cambridge Psychosis Centre offers expert multidisciplinary assessment and guidance for three main phases of the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia:

  • Managing persistent psychotic symptoms
  • Treating non-psychotic symptoms
  • Minimising side effects

Our full psychiatric assessment includes:

  • Personal and family history that might impact symptoms, including trauma and neurodevelopmental comorbidities as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or Asperger’s.
  • Medication history including compliance, criteria for drug-resistance and augmentation strategies.
  • Comprehensive assessment of non-psychotic symptoms with specific tools: lack of motivation, emotional blunting, memory and attention problems, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety symptoms.
  • Evaluation of side effects: movement disorder, metabolic complications, sedation, constipation and hypersalivation.

Following assessment, the team will review the case and produce a full referenced report with treatment recommendations. We will provide assistance for non-formulary treatment and referrals to the clozapine community initiation committee. For selected cases, with prior agreement we will support use of botulin toxin for hypersalivation.

Referral information

We accept internal and external referrals for clinical assessment and pharmacological recommendations. There are two main routes:

Local/internal referrals for patients in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mental health services

Please email a referral to cambridgepsychosis@cpft.nhs.uk including patient number, medication (current and past) and the main reason for referral. 

External referrals for patients in other mental health services

Please email cambridgepsychosis@cpft.nhs.uk. 
Prior funding approval will be needed from the relevant Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for a full formal assessment or botulin toxin treatment.

Research projects

Anyone wishing to take part in psychosis or schizophrenia research studies or to collaborate on research projects can contact Emilio at e.fernandez-egea@nhs.net to find out about suitable opportunities. Potential volunteers can also be referred by clinical care teams, internally at CPFT via Emilio.fernandez@cpft.nhs.uk.

Current research projects

The Cambridge Psychosis Centre runs an active research portfolio of ethically approved studies. Potential volunteers can be referred by their care teams but can also contact the research team directly via Emilio.Fernandez@cpft.nhs.uk.
 

Pharmacological trials

There are a few studies with CPFT progressing through different research approval stages. Please contact Emilio.fernandez@cpft.nhs.uk to find out more.

Non-pharmacological studies

CHANSS
Poor motivation is a key problem for people with schizophrenia. We aim to understand the brain mechanism causing this and other negative symptoms. Read the information sheet for more details.

RESTORE

The RESTORE project aims to understand the role of the neurotransmitter glutamate in persistent psychosis. The testing is conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry in Kings College London, and there are different studies (with and without imaging or medication). If you would like to hear more about this project, please get in touch with Dr Emilio Fernandez-Egea at ef280@cam.ac.uk.

Educational resources

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Professor Peter Jones, Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist

Professor Peter Jones, Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist

Professor Jones is Director of the NIHR ARC East of England. He is Professor of Psychiatry and was Deputy Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge from 2014-2021. Peter studied anatomy and neurobiology at King’s College, London, and qualified in medicine from Westminster Medical School. He studied at the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine before being appointed in 1993 as Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry. In 1997 he took up the Chair of Psychiatry in Nottingham, moving to Cambridge in 2000.

Peter’s research concerns the epidemiology of mental illness, particularly the psychoses, early life course influences on adult mental health and illness, and evaluation of treatment strategies. Peter is Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist in CPFT's award-winning early intervention service for young people with first episode psychosis - CAMEO, an example of research implementation and the synergies that can be developed through close integration of research and practice. 

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