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Stop over medication (STOMP)

Checked: 09-10-2023 by Vicky Ryan Next Review: 08-10-2025

Overview

STOMP stands for stopping over medication of people with a learning disability, autism or both with psychotropic medicines. It is a national project involving many different organisations which are helping to stop the over use of these medicines. STOMP is about helping people to stay well and have a good quality of life.

Psychotropic medicines affect how the brain works and include medicines for psychosis, depression, anxiety, sleep problems and epilepsy. Sometimes they are also given to people because their behaviour is seen as challenging.

People with a learning disability, autism or both are more likely to be given these medicines than other people. These medicines are right for some people. They can help people stay safe and well. Sometimes there are other ways of helping people so they need less medicine or none at all.

Public Health England says that every day about 30,000 to 35,000 adults with a learning disability are taking psychotropic medicines, when they do not have the health conditions the medicines are for. Children and young people are also prescribed them.

Psychotropic medicines can cause problems if people take them for too long. Or take too high a dose. Or take them for the wrong reason. This can cause side effects like:

putting on weight
feeling tired or ‘drugged up’
serious problems with physical health

For advice and guidance in supporting people with a learning disability, call or email the SIRONA Adult Learning Disability Health Service.

All health and adult social care staff in BNSSG need to complete the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training in learning disability and autism appropriate to their role.

Resources

Stopping Over-Medication of People with a Learning Disability (STOMP) includes an algorithm for the review, reduction or stopping of psychotropic drugs in people with a learning disability, autism or both.

NHSE Professional Resources for STOMP includes online learning and a step by step guide for annual health checks.

STOMP-STAMP is a leaflet for families of children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both who may be prescribed psychotropic medication.

STOMP Everyone working together to stop the over use of psychotropic medicines and to improve people's quality of life (england.nhs.uk)
An accessible, Easy Read version of STOMP information clinicians may wish to share with their patients.

Positive Behaviour Support: Challengingbehaviour.org.uk

Efforts are made to ensure the accuracy and agreement of these guidelines, including any content uploaded, referred to or linked to from the system. However, BNSSG ICB cannot guarantee this. This guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer, in accordance with the mental capacity act, and informed by the summary of product characteristics of any drugs they are considering. Practitioners are required to perform their duties in accordance with the law and their regulators and nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.

Information provided through Remedy is continually updated so please be aware any printed copies may quickly become out of date.