NHS STOMP and stopping overmedication

Studies show that people with learning disabilities and autism are at particular risk of over-medication with psychotropics. Many people have been prescribed psychotropics for all sorts of reasons and these prescriptions have just continued without the proper review – sometimes for years.

STOMP aims to reduce the amount of psychotropics being prescribed to people with learning disabilities and autism, which is an estimated 30,000 – 35,000 people currently wrongly prescribed.

STOMP is about

• Improving people’s lives.
• Helping people live longer and giving families more time with their loved ones.
• Stopping psychotropics being used to control behaviour.

The development of truly personalised support packages needs to ensure that any medications are prescribed in the context of the wider support plan.

For example, if a person is taking medication for depression, what other strategies are in the support plan to address the causes of the depression and alleviate the need for the medication?

Research suggests that controlled withdrawal can often be successful. A study in 2012 looked at the effects of controlled withdrawal of antipsychotics used for challenging behaviour.

Nearly half of those taking part were successful in stopping completely, and at follow-up just one in six had been subsequently put back onto antipsychotics.