What its response is to reported concerns raised by the Care Inspectorate regarding the prescribing of antipsychotics and sedatives for dem…

The Scottish Government is committed to improving outcomes for people living with dementia, their families and care partners, through delivery of Scotland’s Dementia Strategy. The Scottish Government has provided funding to the Care Inspectorate to support the development of a new toolkit for frontline staff, designed to reduce stress and distress among people receiving care. The toolkit, launched earlier this year, includes practical guidance to help staff identify and implement small changes to an individual's care approach that can prevent distress from escalating. Where appropriate, these interventions may also contribute to a reduction in the use of antipsychotics and sedatives for dementia patients.The Scottish Government has also published updated ‘Polypharmacy Guidance: Appropriate Prescribing
- Making medicines safe, effective and sustainable’. Written by a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) consisting of experts from NHS Scotland, the Care Inspectorate and experts by experience, the guidance updates the previous 2018 edition and aims to ensure appropriate prescribing of medicines to optimise treatment outcomes and achieve the best care, whilst applying the principles of value-based healthcare and realistic medicine. The updated guidance also incorporates the Care Inspectorate's work on reducing the use of antipsychotic medication.The updated polypharmacy guidance continues to place the individual at the centre with greater emphasis on shared decision-making to actively engage them in safe and effective care.