Management of Antipsychotics in Primary Care: Insights from Healthcare Professionals and Policy Makers in the UK

Abstract

Introduction: Antipsychotic medication is increasingly prescribed to patients with serious mental illness. Patients with serious mental illness often have cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities, and antipsychotics independently increase the risk of cardiometabolic disease. Despite this, many patients prescribed antipsychotics are discharged to primary care without planned psychiatric review. We explore perceptions of healthcare professionals and managers/planners of policy regarding management of antipsychotics in primary care. Methods: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 11 general practitioners (GPs), 8 psychiatrists, and 11 managers/planners of policy in the United Kingdom. Interviews were studied using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Respondents reported competency gaps that impaired ability to manage patients prescribed antipsychotic medications holistically, arising from inadequate postgraduate training and professional development. GPs lacked confidence to manage antipsychotic medications alone; psychiatrists lacked skills to address cardiometabolic risks and did not perceive this as their role. Communication barriers, lack of integrated care records, limited psychology provision, lowered expectation of patients with serious mental illness by professionals, and pressure to discharge from hospital resulted in patients in primary care becoming ‘trapped’ on antipsychotics, inhibiting opportunities to deprescribe. Organisational and contractual barriers between organisations exacerbate this risk, with socioeconomic deprivation and lack of access to non-pharmacological alternatives driving overprescribing. GPs and psychiatrists voiced professional fears of being blamed if an event causing harm occurred after stopping an antipsychotic, which inhibited deprescribing. A range of actions to overcome these barriers were suggested. Conclusions: People prescribed antipsychotics experience a fragmented health system and suboptimal care. Many simple steps could be taken to improve quality of care for this population but inadequate availability of non-pharmacological alternatives and socioeconomic factors increasing mental distress need key policy changes to improve the current situation.