Collaborative prescribing: a qualitative exploration of a role for pharmacists in mental health.

Background: Collaborative prescribing has been proposed as an extension of practice for advanced pharmacist practitioners. A lack of research investigating how pharmacists might be most effective as prescribers in mental health was identified.

Objective: To explore health professionals' and consumers' attitudes and beliefs that relate to the role of specialist mental health pharmacists working as collaborative prescribers within their advanced scope of practice in secondary care.