Doctors overprescribing psychotropic medication to intellectually disabled: Disability Royal Commission:

Psychiatric drugs are being overprescribed to patients with intellectual disabilities, a royal commission has heard.

Universities need to overhaul their curriculum so medical students are better equipped to treat patients with intellectual disabilities amid concerns about psychiatric drugs being overprescribed in Australia.

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disabilty heard that there were shortfalls among medical professionals when treating such patients.

“There does seem to be evidence that parts of the medical profession in any event are not very good at dealing with aspects of the treatment of people with disabilities,” Ronald Sackville QC, chair of the commission, told the hearing.

University of Tasmania Professor Rosalind Bull told the hearing that a “national” framework could address the problems.

“I think a national capability framework would be absolutely terrific,” she said.

“Because that would allow what are nationally regulated (medical) professions to come out with the same level of capability. How do we know our students are demonstrating the what we need them to demonstrate?”

Previously, the commission has heard concerns about excessive use of psychotropic medication for almost 30 years in Australia.

One study that followed 50,000 people with cognitive disabilities found they were more likely to receive psychiatric medication than people without a disability.

People with intellectual disabilities who were admitted to emergency hospitals had an increased risk of death, a 2019 study found. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

The commission has also heard evidence that medical professionals can mistake intellectual disabilities with mental illness which leads to them inaccurately prescribing psychiatric medications.

One witness told the hearing on Tuesday: “People do not know that I have a disability; my disability is not visible so people do not really know until they meet me.

“Sometimes nurses do not know I have a disability until they talk to me.”

The hearing continues.

Originally published as Doctors overprescribing psychotropic medication to intellectually disabled: Disability Royal Commission: