Mental health prescription

Improving medication safety in mental health will require a systems approach and involvement of all stakeholders, especially pharmacy services, according to a new report prepared for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care by the University of South Australia.

Systems identified for involvement include medication reconciliation services, standardised systems for medication ordering and administration, electronic medication management, patient supply systems, multidisciplinary team care, and collaborative home medicines reviews.

Clinical pharmacy services were referenced 172 times in the report, tagged as critical to mental health units and prioritised for early integration with other services in the mental health care setting.

The report grew out of consultation with consumers and carers, nurses, pharmacists, psychiatrists, psychologists and policy makers from across Australia.

Between three and five medication-related problems are identified per person during pharmacist reviews in the community setting, including adverse reactions, under-use or over-use of medicines, and the need for information or other support services, such as DAAs.

In the hospital setting, as in the community, one study found 52% of people indicated there were discrepancies between the medication history documented in their general practitioners’ case notes and what they were taking.

The report recommended that to improve accuracy of medications, a “pharmacist-led medication reconciliation service” should be standard, as well as contact with the patient’s own community pharmacy.

It also summarised literature supporting the role of pharmacists in management of mental health see safetyandquality.gov.au.