Winterbourne Medicines Programme

NHS Improving Quality 

NHS Improving Quality working inpartnership with NHS England

In the Department of Health review ‘Transforming care: A national response to Winterbourne View Hospital’ , deep concerns were reportedabout the overuse of medications in people who have learning disabilitiesand behaviours that can challenge.

This programme aspires to ensure safe, appropriate and optimised use ofmedication for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour canchallenge.

•Ensure the service user iscentral to the work.

•To review and develop adeep understanding ofissues around currentmedication processes.

•To identify and sharenotable practice.

•To identify a method ofmeasuring change andimprovement.

•Test new ways of workingto improve process whereappropriate.

•To improve awareness ofthe issues around

medication.

Programme objectives:

Scope: People with learning disabilities

whose behaviour can challenge

Age Range:•Children•Young People•Adults

Medication Groups:•Anti-Depressants•Anti-Psychotics•Mood Stabilisers•Benzodiazepines

Settings:•Hospital•At home•Supported

housing•Treatment

centres

•Secure settings•Private care homes•Prisons•Custody•Schools

 

Winterbourne Medicines Programme

NHS Improving Quality 

Working in partnership with individuals,teams and organisations to improvehealth outcomes, NHS Improving Qualityis providing improvement and changeexpertise to deliver real benefits for peoplewith learning disabilities whose behaviourcan challenge and their families and carers.

We are working in partnership withthe following sites:•Cheshire and Wirral Partnership

NHS Foundation Trust•Devon Partnership NHS Trust•Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation

Trust•Northumberland Tyne and Wear

NHS Foundation Trust•South West London and St Georges

Mental Health Trust•Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation

Trust

Together we will develop a deep understanding of issues around currentmedication processes, capture a baseline for testing improvements andshare good practice for patients/clients, families and carers.

•Medication is sometimesused to suppress behaviourthat challenges.

•Medication is used offlicence for people withlearning disabilities andbehaviour that challenges.

•People are sometmesprescribed medicationwithout timely reviews.

• Issues with prescribing,administration and reviewof medication.

•Other services likebehavioural support arenot readily available.

Some current nationalissues include:

Visit our website www.nhsiq.nhs.uk/winterbourne and join ourlearning disability community of practice via www.6cs.england.nhs.ukto share learning, guidelines, research papers, case studies and blogs.enquiries@nhsiq.nhs.uk #winterbourne_meds @nhsiq

 You can get involved too!