Evaluating the Utility of a Statewide Pharmacist-Led Psychotropic Medicines Information Service

Psychotropic medicines are essential in managing mental illness but are associated with complex challenges, including off-label use, polypharmacy, drug interactions, adverse effects, and diverse safety profiles. Effective decision-making requires access to reliable, evidence-based, and context-specific medicines information. Medicines Information (MI) services, particularly those led by pharmacists, provide tailored, evidence-informed advice that supports safe prescribing and optimises patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the Psychotropic Drug Advisory Service (PDAS) at Alfred Health, a statewide pharmacist-led clinical advisory service. The evaluation sought to (a) determine the impact of advice on patient care, clinical outcomes, and medication safety; (b) assess the usefulness of advice and its uptake by enquirers; and (c) explore user experiences and satisfaction to inform future service development. A mixed-methods service evaluation was conducted. Quantitative data were collected through a retrospective audit of all enquiries recorded over a 12-month period (January–December 2024). Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted between March and August 2025 with a total of 17 clinicians, consumers, and carers who had accessed PDAS during the evaluation period. Interviews explored perceptions of service utility, impact on clinical decision-making, and areas for improvement, and were thematically analysed. PDAS responded to 266 enquiries over the 12-month evaluation period, with enquiries originating from a broad range of clinicians, consumers, and carers across primary, secondary, and community care. Enquiries frequently involved complex psychotropic decision-making; most commonly relating to administration and dosage, choice of medication, adverse effects, drug–drug interactions, and antipsychotic or antidepressant use. Most enquiries were addressed promptly, with the majority receiving an initial response within one hour. Qualitative analysis identified four key themes: enhancing confidence in clinical decision-making , improving access to specialist psychotropic advice , facilitating collaborative problem solving , and delivering credible , evidence-based guidance; highlighting PDAS’s role as a trusted, accessible, and specialist support service within complex mental health settings. These findings support the utility of a statewide, pharmacist-led psychotropic medicines information service as an important component of contemporary mental health systems, particularly in settings characterised by clinical complexity and/or limited access to specialist expertise

Antipsychotic · Audit · Clinical audit · Medical prescription · Mental health · Psychotropic drug · Psychotropic medication · Qualitative research · Service (business) · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes · Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions

• Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis

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