The introduction of an integrated model of management within an area mental health service for patients with early psychosis contributed to significant reductions in admissions, involuntary status and use of a locked ward. The data suggests that enhanced treatment of early psychosis patients can be offered within generic services.

The process of formally operationalizing and implementing clinical guidelines utilizing a care pathway within an area mental health service has proved to be an effective way to ensure fidelity with standard agency practices and protocols. The integrated approach, supported by quality assurance initiatives, provides an excellent goodness-of-fit within an established area mental health service.

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Whilst the original article was heavily referenced in our follow-up article and it was clear that we were performing a comparison with the original, the text of two sections of the Discussion (sections 4.2 and 4.3) in our article is almost identical to that in the article of Yung and colleagues and hence should have been placed in inverted commas with direct attribution. That we failed to do this we accept as an error on our behalf and apologise to all concerned in this regard. Melissa Petrakis, on behalf of all the authors.

No abstract