1. Role of the Mental Health Pharmacist
HelpingImproveTreatmentOutcomes
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Richard Harris MRPharmS
2. Medicines
Management Roles
• Sound Clinical Grounding mental health patients often suffer poor
physical health comorbidity e.g. diabetes
• Valuable Resource for patients, carers & health professionals
providing drug & health information
Pharmacological
• Clinical Judgement Screening/accurate/appropriate
• Intervention Identifying/resolving issues e.g. concordance
• Prescribing/Optimisation Affecting appropriate change-justify-monitor
Non-
Pharmacological
• Health Promotion Pt. engagement-Parity of esteem (barriers to)
• Collaboration Shared goals/liaison/research/policy/guidance
• Personal Qualities Adaptable - Pro-active - Good communication
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3. Admissions
• Meds Reconciliation
• DHx-multiple sources
• Investigate-challenge -diplomacy
• Chart Screen/Clarification
• Needs Assessment
• Care Planning-capacity?-DoLS?
Discharge
• Timely medication supply
• Transition between care/trust
settings
• Communication & co-ordination
New Meds/Changes
• Appropriateness -e.g. formulation/route/brand
• Safety-Incident reporting-NPSA high risk list
• Supply-checking Rx-non-formulary–PGDs/ESCAs
• Monitor: Administration/adherence/response
• SE/Toxicity e.g. Lithium Vs Concomitant meds
• Clinics-Clozapine/NRT
• Optimizing efficacy by provision of EB formulary
Information e.g. PLAI guidance/referral
• Training/education/health promotion & support
Managing Inpatient Pharmaceutical Care Issues
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Audit-
What should we learn?
Review-What
should we
know?
Review-What
needs to be
done?
6. References
• Improve compliance for mental health patients: they crave more information
– Colquhoun, A. The Pharmaceutical Journal, Vol.285,p204-August 1st 2010
• Getting to the bottom of medicines adherence-Torjesen,I . November 2015 The
Pharmaceutical Journal, Vol.295,No 7883,online accessed 30/03/2016
• Mental Health Care Project-A framework for pharmacists as partners in mental
health care –February 2013-Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
• Mental Health Toolkit- Royal Pharmaceutical Society November 2010
• Introduction to Pharmaceutical Care in Mental Health: NHS Education for
Scotland (Pharmacy).
http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/415392/nes_mental_pharmacy_-_final.pdf
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Editor's Notes
Clinic activities to include: Meds Info + Meds Review/Optimisation+ Side Effect rating/monitoring+ assisting patients to make informed decisions about medicines use-Empowerment & Ownership of patients’ own medicines strategy-Positive outcomes are not just limited to clinical response-concordance and motivation are also key. Teach patients how to recognise signs and symptoms of sub optimal treatments
Pace interventions and consultations to individual’s abilities-If withdrawing antipsychotic medication, undertake gradually and monitor regularly for signs and symptoms of relapse
COM-B-capability, opportunity & motivation-Developing listening & consultation skills -Small things make a big difference to adherence and medicines optimisation to better understand service user experiences, patient surveys
Signposting & supporting rehabilitation in the community- Promoting service user insight and responsibility for own medicines and lifestyle considering wider social issues: E.g. employment by working with community pharmacies & out reach support
Review: Care planning (Capacity/DoLS), MDT meetings, ESCA (Essential Shared Care Arrangements) Monitoring self administration (Therapeutic & clinical screening Glucose/U&Es LFTs-lithium levels within range (0.6-1mmol/l)-monitoring potential interactions with other co-commitant meds e.g. NSAIDS
Reviewing trust policy , trust & national guidance and Formulary guidelines, prepared & resilient to potentially challenging discussions & situations
Opportunity to recognize potential/actual distress/non adherence/risk taking behaviours and intervene