Stopping over-medication of people with an intellectual disability, autism or both (STOMP) in England part 2 – the story so far
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-02-2018-0005 |
| Date | 15 February 2019 |
| Published date | 15 February 2019 |
| Pages | 41-51 |
| 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 an intellectual disability, autism
or both (STOMP) in England part 2 –
the story so far
David Branford, David Gerrard, Nigget Saleem, Carl Shaw and Anne Webster
Abstract
Purpose –The STOMP programme –stopping the over-medication of people with an intellectual disability,
autism or both 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. Part 1 presented the historical background to the use
of psychotropic drugs for people with an intellectual disability, autism or both. The purpose of this paper
(Part 2) is to present the approach adopted to reduce over-medication (the “Callto Action”) and the progress
so far at the half way stage.
Design/methodology/approach –The “Call to Action”methodology is described in a Manchester
University report –mobilising and organising for large-scale change in healthcare “The Right Prescription:
A Call to Action on the use of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia”. Their research suggested that a
social mobilising and organising approach to change operates could provide a mechanism for bringing about
change where other approaches had failed.
Findings –The adoption of the “Call to Action”methodology has resulted in widespread acknowledgement
across intellectual disability practice that overuse of psychotropic medication and poor review was resulting in
over-medication. Many individual local programmes are underway (some are described in this paper)
however to what extent the overall use of psychotropic drugs has changed is yet to be evaluated.
Originality/value –STOMP is part of an English national agenda –transforming care. The 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
paper describes a new approach to stopping the over-medication of people with an intellectual disability,
autism or both.
Keywords Learning disability, Intellectual disability, Autism, Polypharmacy, Call to action methodology,
Psychotropic drugs
Paper type General review
Introduction
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). The purpose of this
paper is to present 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 Lead at STOMP,
Learning Disability Programme,
NHS England, Leicester, UK.
David Gerrard is Joint
Pharmacist Lead at STOMP,
Learning Disability Programme,
NHS England, Sunderland, UK.
Nigget Saleem is Joint
Pharmacist Lead 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-02-2018-0005 VOL. 13 NO. 1 2019, pp.41-51, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
PAGE41
To continue reading
Request your trial