Colleagues across North East and North Cumbria are being invited to get involved in a new medicines safety programme focused on reducing harm for people with a learning disability.
Delivered by the Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) at Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, this programme aims to support people who may be at risk of behaviours that challenge, and who are prescribed psychotropic medicines in the absence of a serious mental illness.
Following a system-wide scoping exercise in summer 2025, partners have now developed a draft action plan and are seeking organisations and teams to help bring this work to life through local projects.
The Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP) focuses on improving the safe and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines, alongside supporting access to non-pharmacological approaches.
The vision is to ensure that people with a learning disability are prescribed medication for clearly documented reasons, with appropriate monitoring, regular review, and access to alternative support where appropriate.
The programme is particularly focused on reducing unwarranted variation and improving the quality and consistency of care across the system.
The draft action plan identifies six key priority areas where projects and improvement activity are needed:
Project teams will be supported throughout the process, with the PSC team providing guidance on project development and measurement.
Organisations and teams across North East and North Cumbria are encouraged to express their interest in testing and delivering innovative projects aligned to these priorities.
This is an opportunity to contribute to system-wide improvement, build on existing good practice, and help improve outcomes for people with a learning disability.
Submit an expression of interest.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected] to find out more.
People with a learning disability are at greater risk of harm from inappropriate or poorly monitored use of psychotropic medicines. By working together across the system, this programme aims to strengthen safer prescribing, improve access to personalised support, and ensure more consistent, high-quality care.
Collaboration will be key to success – and partners from across health, care, and the voluntary sector are encouraged to get involved.
To learn more about the wider programme, visit: Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP)
