Page 21 - Community Living Issue 31-3

medication

learning disabilities and autism. He was in
an assessment and treatment unit for
three years, and was featured on national
news when he was discharged with a
tailored package of education, health and
care near his parents’ home in 2015, his
medication greatly reduced.
His father says: “Josh used to be
prescribed a number of antipsychotic and
sedative-type medications when he was in
hospital and far away from home. He has
now come off virtually all these drugs. I
have seen Josh improve physically and
emotionally. He seems more alert and, in
my opinion, his long-term memory of
people and places has improved greatly.”

Alternatives
Webster is quick to point out that it would
be wrong to condemn all psychotropic
medication as bad. It can be dangerous Carl Shaw and Anne Webster: everyone has a responsibility to challenge overmedication
for people to just stop taking their
medication in an unplanned way. The to the mortality review is important. impact for them? Is it improving the
process needs to be managed carefully by Thanks to STOMP, care, education and quality of their life?”
a GP. treatment reviews for children and young Shaw suggests that if any of our readers
Some people may always need some people, and care and treatment reviews have any stories that can be told, or want
medication, but it should be the right kind for adults now include a “key line of to find out more, then they should get in
and the right amount for the shortest enquiry” about medication. Annual health touch. Webster and Shaw can be
period of time necessary. checks now include questions around contacted via Twitter.
The STOMP campaign argues for much overmedication. Finally, the last word should go to an
more consideration to be given to activist. Jenny Carter is a remarkable
alternatives to medication such as positive woman with learning disabilities and
behaviour support, which looks at the “ GPs can feel they autism and one of the founders of
motives behind a person’s behaviour. A Together All Are Able, a community
dedicated STOMP page on the Voluntary are put on the spot and interest company that focuses on
Organisations Disability Group website may prescribe medication self-advocacy.
(VODG, 2017) gives links to alternatives to to help a stressed She says: “STOMP is important as we
Fluoxetine: Lanfear’s Bane/Wikimedia Commons: Anne Webster and Carl Shaw: Sean Kelly, www.seankellyphotos.com
medication as well as advice for families have got to make sure that people aren’t
and carers. There are also toolkits for GPs carer manage overmedicated. If they are, this can cause
and social care providers to assess ” physical health problems and it can stop
progress and build action plans. people being discharged from hospital. It
The Care Quality Commission has signed Research can also stop people being able to take
up to the pledge and is training all The project has developed a research part in decisions about their life. It’s a
inspection staff, while the Challenging group via Public Health England to provide huge issue.” n
Behaviour Foundation is working with detailed data on the amounts of ● Contact Anne Webster and Carl Shaw:
STOMP to produce a pathway document, medication people are taking, which will t @AWebster67
to help people identify the steps they can show whether the use of drugs such as
take to reduce overmedication. STOMP has antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs is References and resources
also commissioned inclusive theatre group increasing or decreasing. This will give Public Health England (2015) Prescribing of
MiXiT to create a performance piece about STOMP direct feedback on the impact of psychotropic medication for people with
overmedication, which received a standing its work. learning disabilities and autism. http://tinyurl.
ovation at the Royal College of Psychiatry One concern is that some GPs may be com/y7g5t9c9 (includes “easy read” version
STOMP (2017) Stopping over medication of
conference in Dublin. dismissive of requests for medication people with a learning disability, autism or
The STOMP project is due to run for reviews. Webster and Shaw suggest both (STOMP). Annual Report. www.england.
only three years so already attention is reminding them that the Royal College of nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/
being paid to what will happen once it is GPs is a STOMP pledge signatory. Support stomp
finished. Steps have been taken to embed from learning disability teams should be Voluntary Organisations Disability Group.
the work into other NHS programmes, available if needed in such situations. STOMP. 2017. Resources including alternatives
including the current review of mortality My final question was what message to medication and GP and provider toolkits:
of people with learning disabilities. As did STOMP team have for readers of www.vodg.org.uk/campaigns/stompcampaign
Ms Webster points out, too much Community Living. Webster says: “One of
psychotropic medication over a long time the biggest messages is about regular Seán Kelly was chief executive of the
can lead to weight gain, organ failure and reviews and checks. Why is this person on Elfrida Society from 2001 to 2012 and is
premature death, so STOMP’s connection this medication? Is it having the right now a freelance writer and photographer

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 21