What are personality disorders and are they treatable?

The recently published report of the Fallon inquiry (Fallon et al, 1999) has reopened the debate on how best to treat people with personality disorders. Currently, the treatment varies depending on whether patients are in an NHS setting or inpatient psychotherapeutic unit, a special hospital or the penal system. Personality disorder is prevalent in approximately 10% of the population and some evidence suggests a 50% prevalence rate for all psychiatric patients. It is a heterogeneous disorder that is often misunderstood by professionals. There is some consensus within the literature about what constitutes effective treatment. Treatment includes behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychopharmacological treatment, the development of a therapeutic programme including offence-focused work, addressing substance misuse, interpersonal training and a triumvirate/collegiate method of team nursing, where nurses share the responsibility for patients.