The use of anti-psychotic and other psychotropic medication in a specialist community service for adults with learning disabilities

Clare, Isabel C H, Wade, Kelly, Bolton, Sorcha, Wagner, Adam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9101-3477, Steven, Tatsiana and Holland, Antony J (2018) The use of anti-psychotic and other psychotropic medication in a specialist community service for adults with learning disabilities. Tizard Learning Disability Review, 23 (1). pp. 12-21. ISSN 1359-5474

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Abstract

Purpose: The aim was to examine the extent to which, in the five integrated community teams for adults with learning disabilities (CTLDs) in an English county-wide service, the use of psychotropic medication for service users was based on the presence of an appropriate mental health condition or epilepsy. Design/methodology/approach: Adult participants were recruited following referral to one of the CTLDs for assessment, treatment and/or support of a possible mental health and/or behavioural need. Data were collected about (i) participant characteristics; and (ii) psychotropic medication 9-12 months after recruitment. Findings: While a total of 42 (78%) of the 54 participants were apparently prescribed regular or prn (as required) psychotropic medication, only 24 (57%) of these individuals had a recorded past or current mental health condition or epilepsy for which such medicine could be appropriate. Research limitations/implications: There were several limitations: the sample size was small; its representativeness was uncertain; and data collection was compromised by barriers to explicit knowledge exchange within and across the learning disability service. Practical implications: While recent guidance about the use of psychotropic medication is welcome, minimising inappropriate use requires more comprehensive person-centred interventions (including crisis management plans), underpinned by imaginative, but feasible, data collection methods and integrated formulations. Investment is needed in developments that support multi-disciplinary and inter-agency working to promote ‘good practice’ by CTLDs in responding to referrals for possible mental health and/or behavioural needs. Originality/value: Complementing recent large studies of primary care (GP) records, this is the first examination of the use of psychotropic medication by service users in English CTLDs.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Economics Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Clinical Trials Unit
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2017 05:04
Last Modified:	11 Jan 2024 01:31
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/65192
DOI:	10.1108/TLDR-02-2017-0009

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