STOMP – Stopping The Over Medication of People with learning disabilities and/or autism, and STAMP – Supporting Treatment and Appropriate Medication in Paediatrics
Our learning disabilities staff in both adult, and children/young people’s services are working on national initiatives, STOMP and STAMP, to help ensure that individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism are not given psychotropic medicines if they do not need them.
This group of medicines affects how the brain works, and includes medicines for psychosis, depression, anxiety, sleep problems and epilepsy. Research shows that sometimes these medicines are also given to people because their behaviour is seen as ‘challenging’.
People with a learning disability, autism or both are more likely to be given these medicines than other people. While they are appropriate for some people and can help them to stay safe and well, sometimes they are prescribed for people they are not really right for, and they can have side effects that affect their quality of life.
We are working with GPs, people who use our learning disabilities services and their carers on STOMP – Stopping The Over Medication of People with learning disabilities and/or autism, and on the STAMP initiative which focuses on children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
Together we want to make sure people are only given psychotropic drugs if they really need them. Where it is possible, we want to cut down or stop using these drugs and instead make sure our service users are able to access other care and support that will help them to stay and feel well.
This easy-read leaflet has more information about the STOMP programme.
NHS England has more information on its website, including information for health professionals and easy-read leaflets to make sure this information is available to everyone.