There are 2 categories of medication with a higher risk of inappropriate use:
- psychotropics, and
- antimicrobials.
Psychotropic medicines are medications that can affect an individual’s:
- mind
- emotions, and
- behaviour.
Psychotropic medicines can have significant therapeutic benefit in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. These disorders include:
- psychosis
- bipolar disorder
- depression
- epilepsy
- Parkinson’s disease, and
- anxiety disorders.
There's considerable evidence that psychotropics are of limited help in managing dementia symptoms. These medicines can also do harm, negatively affecting a person’s:
- health
- functioning, and
- quality of life.
Despite this, psychotropic medicines continue to be prescribed for people in aged care. These medicines are sometimes used for long periods.
In 2022, we released a joint statement with the:
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and
- the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
We committed to a collaborative approach to reduce the inappropriate use of psychotropics.
Psychotropic resources for providers
- Self-assessment tool for residents receiving psychotropic medication
- Reducing the use of sedatives in aged care video
- Medication-related complaints we received in 2019-20 presentation
- Provider resources webpage
- Department of Health and Aged Care's resources and information.
Antimicrobial stewardship resources for providers and clinicians
- Updated resources on the Commission’s antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program and new AMS tool and user guide.
- Updated resources on the To Dip or Not to Dip (TDONTD) program developed to improve management of urinary tract infections (UTI) and reduce antimicrobial use in Australian aged care services.
Quality bulletins
- From the Chief Clinical Advisor: antimicrobial stewardship and catheters – #35 November 2021
- From the Chief Clinical Advisor – #33 September 2021
- From the Chief Clinical Advisor – #32 August 2021
- Information about antimicrobial stewardship in aged care – #31 July 2021
- Updates from the Chief Clinical Advisor – #30 June 2021
- Examining consumer feedback on medication use in residential aged care – #29 May 2021
- Our current work on antimicrobial stewardship – #28 April 2021
- Antimicrobial stewardship – #27 March 2021
- Recognising the signs and symptoms of sepsis can save lives - #45 September 2022
- Quality improvement initiative improves antibiotic use - #47 November 2022
External resources
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Antimicrobial prescribing in Australian residential aged care
- Antimicrobial stewardship in community and residential aged care (PDF 1.3MB)
- Asymptomatic bacteriuria – fact sheet
- AURA 2021: 4th Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health
- Australian Passive AMR Surveillance
- National Hand Hygiene Initiative Learning Management System - aged care modules
