Antidepressant review toolkit
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led by the University of East Anglia, this research will co-design a toolkit for the NHS to support healthcare professionals to stop antidepressants when right for the patient.
1 in 5 adults in the UK are prescribed an antidepressant. While these medicines provide vital relief for many, research shows that most people only need them for 6 to 12 months until they feel better. However, many people remain on medication for much longer than necessary, which increases the risk of patient’s experiencing side effects and leads to unnecessary NHS spending. We recognise that long-term antidepressant use in necessary for some patients. Our research is about empowering healthcare professionals and patients to safely and effectively stop antidepressants when it is the right time.
Stopping antidepressants can be difficult. Patients often fear their symptoms will return, and they may experience withdrawal effects. Currently, primary care healthcare professionals like GPs, pharmacists and nurses often lack the resources or coordinated strategies to support patients when it is the right time to stop.
This research aims to solve this by co-designing a "Toolkit" for NHS Integrated Care Systems (ICSs). This Toolkit will give healthcare professionals the strategy and resources they need to help patients stop antidepressants safely, access non-medical support, and monitor their wellbeing.
Participate in the research
We will work with healthcare professionals and patients from four general practices across England to design the Antidepressant Review Toolkit. We are particularly interested in working with general practices based in Integrated Care Boards in the top quintile for antidepressant prescribing (see an overview here) and who represent diversity in their patient population.
Do you work in a general practice in England who can recruit up to 8 healthcare professional participants who routinely prescribe and/or review antidepressants and 2 patient participants prescribed antidepressants?
Are you interested in acting as a Principal Investigator at your practice?
Find out more about the requirements of the research and express your interest in taking part.
Meet the Patient and Public Involvement team
)
Olivia Kersey
Patient and Public Involvement Lead
Meet the research team
)
)
)
:focus(696x756:697x757))
Funder
){kind=logo}
This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number NIHR209169). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.