Inter-professional collaboration reduces the burden of caring for patients with mental illnesses in primary healthcare. A realist evaluation study.

The implementation of primary care for mental health is often insufficient, which leaves its mark on staff. A team-based approach of mental healthcare prevents poor staff morale. A community health centre (CHC), therefore, set up a project promoting interprofessional collaboration with a mental health team (MHT).

Discontinuation of Long-Term Antipsychotic Drug Use for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Older Adults Aged 65 Years and Older With Dementia.

Background: Antipsychotic drugs are often used to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) in adults aged 65 years and older with dementia, although there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of long-term use for this indication and there are concerns that they may cause harm.

Objectives: To evaluate whether discontinuation of long-term antipsychotic drugs for BPSD is successful in adults aged 65 years and older with dementia. This article is based on a Cochrane review updated in 2018.

Late-life depression: issues for the general practitioner.

Late-life depression (LLD) is both a prevalent and life-threatening disorder, affecting up to 13.3% of the elderly population. LLD can be difficult to identify because patients mainly consult their general practitioner (GP) for somatic complaints.

Withdrawal versus continuation of long-term antipsychotic drug use for behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people with dementia.

Background: Antipsychotic agents are often used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in people with dementia although there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of their long-term use for this indication and concern that they may cause harm, including higher mortality. When behavioural strategies have failed and treatment with antipsychotic drugs is instituted, regular attempts to withdraw them have been recommended in guidelines. Physicians, nurses and families of older people with dementia may be reluctant to stop antipsychotics, fearing deterioration of NPS.

Teaching young GPs to cope with psychosocial consultations without prescribing: a durable impact of an e-module on determinants of benzodiazepines prescribing.

Background: Despite guidelines and campaigns to change prescribing behavior, General Practitioners (GPs) continue to overprescribe benzodiazepines (BZDs). New approaches to improve prescribing are needed. Using behavior change techniques and tailoring interventions to user characteristics are vital to promote behavior change.