The STOMP pledge (Stopping the Over-Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both) has been introduced in a drive to stop the over-reliance on antipsychotic and antidepressant medications to treat ‘problem’ behaviours.
Care homes are being urged to sign the pledge and move to positive behavioural approaches, as an alternative to medication, ensuring that people with learning disabilities and their family members are involved in decisions about their medication and that decisions are reviewed regularly.
There are currently between 30,000-35,000 people with learning disabilities that are taking prescribed antipsychotic or antidepressant medication daily.
The STOMP campaign involves groups such as Care England, Learning Disability England and National Care Forum, and is supported by NHS England, the CQC and Skills for Care.
Carl Shaw, learning disability advisor for NHS England, said: –
“A care provider’s role is to support people to live the life they choose but if they are wrongly prescribed psychotropic medication then they aren’t living a life of their choosing.
“If you help people to take the right medication then their quality of life will be closer to how they want it to be.”
