4.1 Limitations
We are aware of the limited scope of this evaluation, which focused on
the immediate impact of medication on a small number of service users’
self-reported functional impairment rating. A follow-up evaluation could
involve administering the WFIRS16 at annual review to
see if this improvement in functional impairment continues beyond the
initial episode of care.
It is important to note that interactions with clinicians in the team
could constitute as an informal, non-pharmacological intervention.
Caution should therefore be taken when interpreting the above results as
being the result of medication alone.
The study reports on statistical significance, which could differ to a
clinically significant improvement in impairment. For example, a service
user reporting severe impairment at baseline may have a 50% change in
symptoms, but still be symptomatic24.
Weiss24 suggests that there is therefore value in
looking at outcomes both from the point of view of percent change and
also from the point of view of treatment endpoint.