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Prescribing for the Long-term Mentally Ill

A Study of Treatment Practices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

F. Holloway
F. Holloway*
Affiliation:
Academic Department of Psychological Medicine, Kings College Hospital, Bessemer Road, London SE5 9RS
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Abstract

A survey of the drug treatment of long-term mentally ill users of a district psychiatric service is described. The appropriateness of prescriptions was assessed against standard criteria after a detailed clinical review of each patient. Overprescribing, particularly of sedative/hypnotic and of anticholinergic and antipsychotic drugs, was common. Junior psychiatrists and general practitioners are in need of improved training in the management of chronic psychiatric illness: a review of treatment practices might be an appropriate medium for this training.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 152 , Issue 4 , April 1988 , pp. 511 - 515
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1988 

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