Stopping over-medication of people with intellectual disability, Autism or both (STOMP) in England part 1 – history and background of STOMP
| Published date | 15 February 2019 |
| Pages | 31-40 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-02-2018-0004 |
| Date | 15 February 2019 |
| Author | David Branford,David Gerrard,Nigget Saleem,Carl Shaw,Anne Webster |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Stopping over-medication of people with
intellectual disability, Autism or both
(STOMP) in England part 1 –history and
background of STOMP
David Branford, David Gerrard, Nigget Saleem, Carl Shaw and Anne Webster
Abstract
Purpose –The programme –Stopping the over-medication of people with an intellectual disability,
Autism or Both (STOMP) is a three-year programme supported by NHS England. Concern about the overuse
of antipsychotic drugs has been a constant theme since the 1970s. However, despite a multitude of
guidelines the practice continues. The report into the events at Winterbourne View not only raised concerns
about the overuse of antipsychotic drugs but of antidepressants and multiple psychotropic drug use.
The purpose of this paper is twofold: Part 1 is to present the history and background to the use of
psychotropic drugs in intellectual disabilities, autism or both; and Part 2 presents the progress with the
STOMP programme.
Design/methodology/approach –The review tracks the various concerns, guidelines and attempts to
tackle the issue of over medication of people with intellectual disability autism or both.
Findings –The review identifies that despite the many studies and guidelinesassociated with the prescribing
of psychotropic drugs for people with an intellectual disability, autism or both the practice is common.
Programmes that minimise the use of psychotropic drugs involve a full use of the multidisciplinary team and
an availability of alternative methods of managing challenging behaviours.
Originality/value –STOMP is part of an English national agenda –Transforming care. The English
Government and leading organisations across the health and care system are committed to transforming
care for people with intellectual disabilities, autism or both who have a mental illness or whose behaviour
challenges services. This review identifies many studies, programmes and guidelines associated with
psychotropic drug use for people with an intellectual disability, autism or both.
Keywords Autism, Intellectual disability, Learning disability, Polypharmacy, Call to action methodology,
Psychotropic drugs
Paper type Literature review
Introduction and background
The programme –Stopping the Over-medication of people with an intellectual disability, Autism
or Both (STOMP) is a three-year programme supported by NHS England. Concern about the
overuse of antipsychotic drugs has been a constant theme since the 1970s. However despite a
multitude of guidelines the practice continues. The report into the events at Winterbourne View
(an assessment unit for people with an intellectual disability, autism or both who demonstrated
challenging behaviours) not only raised concerns about the overuse of antipsychotic drugs but of
antidepressants (South Gloucestershire Safeguarding Adults Board, 2012). This paper –Part 1
presents the history of psychotropic drug use for people with an intellectual disability, autism or
both and the background to STOMP. Part 2 (Branford et al., 2018) STOMP –the story so far
presents the approach adopted to reduce over medication (the “Call to Action”) and the progress
so far at the half way stage.
Received 27 February 2018
Revised 30 May 2018
Accepted 1 June 2018
David Branford is Joint
Pharmacist Leads at STOMP,
Learning Disability Programme,
NHS England, Leicester, UK.
David Gerrard is Joint
Pharmacist Leads at STOMP,
Learning Disability Programme,
NHS England, Sunderland, UK.
Nigget Saleem is Joint
Pharmacist Leads at STOMP,
Learning Disability Programme,
NHS England, Bury, UK.
Carl Shaw is Lead Learning
Disability Adviser at STOMP,
NHS England, Sheffield, UK.
Anne Webster is Clinical Lead
at Learning Disability
Programme, NHS England,
London, UK.
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-02-2018-0004 VOL. 13 NO. 1 2019, pp.31-40, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
PAGE31
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