Steps are being taken to protect people with learning disabilities from being over-medicated with mind-altering drugs.

NHS England has announced that it is taking urgent steps to tackle what it calls ‘over-medication’ of people with learning disabilities.

A report by Public Health England says that a shocking 35,000 adults with a learning disability are being prescribed an antipsychotic, an antidepressant or often both without clinical justification.

An urgent summit is being held on 17 July with a view to implementing change, a move backed by specialists in the care of people with learning disabilities.

Dr Dominic Slowie, NHS England’s national clinical director for learning disabilities, said: “We are determined to take action to protect this group of patients from over-medication.”

Dr Ashok Roy, chair of the Intellectual Disability Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has hit out at the practice. He said: “The prescribing of psychotropic medication to people with learning disabilities – in the absence of a well founded diagnosis of psychoses and mood disorders – is a source of significant concern to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.”

He added: “In the absence of these conditions there will not only be very few benefits to the individual, but a strong likelihood of undesirable neurological and metabolic side effects.”

Dr Roy called for more interventions to replace the prescription of drugs. He said: “Such medication should only be used for the treatment of psychoses and mood disorders and in all instances should be used as part of a multi-professional treatment plan.”

The spotlight on the issue arose following the abuse reported at Winterbourne View, where the government report into events at the private hospital noted ‘deep concerns’ about the over-use of medicines in people with autism and learning disabilities.

Criticising the practice, Gyles Glover, consultant in public health and co-director of the Learning Disabilities team in Public Health England, said: “Psychiatric drugs are often given to people with learning disabilities to try and manage challenging behaviour. These drugs have important side effects, but the evidence that they are effective is limited.”

Individuals and their families in the UK who are have concerns about a current prescription are being advised by the NHS not to stop taking medication immediately, but to consult their doctor or supervising clinician as soon as possible.

Published: 15 July 2015