Polypharmacy in Psychiatry: An Exploratory Study Examining Strategies to Improve Prescribing Practices

Abstract

This mixed-methods exploratory research explored the factors contributing to the prescribing of antipsychotic polypharmacy outside of guideline recommendations at a public psychiatric facility in Western Australia. Informed by the triangulation of findings from an audit, prescriber survey and qualitative study, a pharmacist-led intervention was developed and implemented to address several of the identified issues. The implementation and outcomes of the intervention were evaluated using the Medical Research Council's Intervention Process Evaluation Framework.