This survey was conducted to ascertain the use of psychotropic medication in the treatment of patients with a primary diagnosis of personality disorder within a community mental health team. A sample of 113 patients were identified, their notes were reviewed, and details of current medications and diagnoses recorded.

Four-fifths of patients were prescribed at least one psychotropic medication. The most commonly prescribed medication class was antidepressant, comprising almost half of prescriptions. The total annual cost across 107 patients was £37 000.

Medication is commonly prescribed to people with personality disorder but more needs to be known about why prescriptions are started and stopped, what the benefits are, and how these are judged by patients and care teams.

To describe the long-term outcome of 165 people taken onto assertive outreach teams.

After a mean follow-up of 6 years and 8 months, 130 people remained in contact with local services of whom 100 were still under the care of an assertive outreach team. Admission rates remained around half those at inception. However, 16 individuals had died, 10 spent time in prison, 12 were homeless and 14 had protracted stays in hospital during the follow-up period.

Although assertive outreach teams are successful in engaging individuals and reducing admission rates, these benefits plateau after the first few years and could possibly be sustained by other services that may in addition focus more on those areas where teams have proven less effective including physical health, housing and employment.

Mental illness is associated with increased physical morbidity. We aimed to assess and improve the routine blood testing of prescribed antipsychotics in out-patients from a busy London inner city area. Audit findings were presented locally to prescribers, together with educational suggestions to improve physical health assessment.

Initially, the numbers monitored were low in the overall number of 126 patients included in the first audit. Following the intervention, this improved significantly in the second audit (of 106 patients).

A simple one-page monitoring prompt and an educational intervention could significantly increase the adherence to routine blood-testing guidelines. Better physical screening may help reduce physical morbidity and mortality, and improve the quality of life of individuals with mental illness.

To develop a standardised clinical information form which helps health professionals provide clear and relevant information about individuals who believe mental disorders affect their ability to repay debt and have consented to creditor organisations or money advisors approaching professionals for evidence. The six-question form was evaluated by three stakeholder groups.

Overall, 35 responses were received from creditors/money advisors, 28 from mental health professionals and 29 from service users/carers. All questions scored acceptable levels of clarity and three questions scored acceptable relevance levels. Qualitative data were used to revise questions on the basis of concerns expressed by stakeholders about sharing diagnostic data, providing prognoses, and the risk of creditor misunderstanding.

The form is likely to be an acceptable standardised means by which health professionals can elicit information on debt from individuals with mental health problems, for use by creditor organisations or money advisors. The results of a pilot study are awaited.

To determine which recreational drugs are most readily offered in ‘head shops’, and what safety information is provided; and determine sales assistants' knowledge about the mental health complications of cannabis. Researchers surveyed ten head shops in Dublin.

Sales assistants in all head shops described their products as legal and safe. Overall, 50% stated cannabis was generally not harmful, although 50% stated it might cause depression and 60% stated it might cause psychosis in susceptible people. Salvia was available in 90% of outlets, although sales assistants in 78% warned about its potency.

Legal, psychoactive drugs, some of which are banned in other jurisdictions, are readily available in Dublin head shops. Enhanced awareness and effective regulation are required.