A program for the maintenance of the schizophrenic patient in the community

Abstract

The authors are working as a team in a community in Johannesburg where patients are, to a large extent, covered by medical insurance or have sufficient financial resources to afford private treatment. They are therefore not eligible for treatment by Government or State Services. There is a lack of resources aimed at maintenance or improvement of function in the person with schizophrenia. In this paper the authors describe an approach to the management of the schizophrenic patient in private practice. In this case the team comprises a combination of psychiatrist and occupational therapist.

Keywords:

• Psychiatry
• Occupational therapy
• Private Practice
• Schizophrenia
• Maintenance
• Community