
The Division of Well being and Social Care (DHSC) produced a report in September 2021 to cut back overprescribing of remedy. In keeping with the Sunday Categorical (see article), NHS England is because of unveil a scheme within the spring aimed toward weaning the well being service off a tradition of ‘capsule for each sick’.
Because the DHSC report says, what’s wanted to cut back overprescribing is already identified: shared decision-making with sufferers; higher steering and assist for clinicians; extra options to medicines, akin to bodily and social actions and speaking therapies; and extra Structured Treatment Opinions (SMR) for long-term well being situations. The issue is that “Many sufferers don’t really feel that they expertise a compassionate, coordinated service that pays sufficient consideration to their particular person wants, belongings, values, preferences and priorities”. The Faculty of Drugs (see webpage) launched its Past Tablets Marketing campaign in 2022. A cultural change to cut back the reliance on remedy and to assist shared decision-making can be very welcome, not least for psychological well being companies.