Management of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a relatively common mental disorder, with a lifetime risk approaching one per cent. Schizophrenia typically manifests in young people in their twenties and is usually a lifelong condition.

Remit and target users

This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the care and treatment of adults with schizophrenia, including dual diagnosis, access and engagement, pharmacological interventions, psychological therapies and perinatal issues.

This guideline will be of particular interest to mental health specialists working with people diagnosed with schizophrenia including psychiatrists, psychologists and specialist mental health nurses and occupational therapists providing health and social services. It will also be of relevance to general practitioners and pharmacists. The guideline will help provide direction for planning at a local and national level and will also be of interest to patients and carers.

How this guideline was developed

This guideline was developed using a standard methodology based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details can be found in SIGN 50: A Guideline Developer’s Handbook.

Keeping up to date

This guideline was issued in 2013 and considered for review in 2016 at which time it was endorsed as current. The review history, and any updates to the guideline in the interim period, will be noted in the review report.

Some recommendations may be out of date, declaration of interests governance may not be in line with current policy.