A CPPE e-learning resource Antipsychotic Reviews in Dementia will assist pharmacists in understanding why and when antipsychotics are used in dementia. It will also help pharmacy teams to identify suitable patients for reduction and withdrawal of antipsychotics and the tools available to support this.

A guide for hospital pharmacists on How to optimise the care of patients with dementia and BPSD plus additional training materials are available on the NeLM website

Mental health training resources are available from:

Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (England)

NHS Education (Scotland)

Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education

Listen to a recording of the Right Prescription webinar (online event, 13 Sep 2012).

Listen to a recording of a dementia webinar (RPS online event, 24 March 2011).

There is widespread concern about the over-prescribing of antipsychotics in dementia. Pharmacy is one of eight professional groups identified by Dementia Action Alliance and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in their Call to Action on the use of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia.

The Department of Health’s 2009 report on the prescribing on antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia (the Banerjee report), estimated that there are 180,000 people with dementia who are currently prescribed antipsychotics and that two thirds of this prescribing is unnecessary.

Pharmacists can make a vital contribution by working with patients, carers, health and social care teams to reduce inappropriate use of antipsychotics in dementia.

An Action Plan describes the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's commitment to the National Dementia Declaration and our plans to respond to the challenges between now and 2014.

Our toolkit is to help pharmacists have meaningful conversations about the prescribing of antipsychotics for dementia patients. The resource is particularly for community pharmacists who want to take action and support the national Call to Action.

Download the "The Right Prescription: A Call to Action” document for pharmacists »

We encourage you to record and share data on anti-psychotics using our easy tracking tool. The data you provide will be collated into a national database to track progress over time.

Antipsychotics for dementia should be flagged on transfer documentation when patients transfer between care providers.

A National Audit of Dementia has identified the need for improvement in the documentation for antipsychotic prescribing.

For further information on the transfer of medicines information as patients move care settings see guidance developed by the RPS working with other Royal Colleges.

Pharmacist input reduces antipsychotic prescribing for patients with dementia (news). Pharmaceutical Journal 2012;289:453

Anderson, C. Communicating with patients with dementia: what you need to think about. Pharmaceutical Journal 2012;288:593

Redmond, V; Cavan, J. How to limit antipsychotic use in dementia. Pharmaceutical Journal 2011;286:539

Westbury, J. How community pharmacists can help reduce antipsychotic use in care homes. Pharmaceutical Journal 2009;283:653

Baquir, W; Worsley, A. Medicines for Alzheimer's disease. Clinical Pharmacist 2010;2:23