An evaluation of a medication management training programme for community mental health professionals; service user level outcomes: A cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAntipsychotic treatment is important in reducing symptomatology and relapse in schizophrenia. Community mental health professionals (CMHPs) have a significant role in this treatment; however, evidence suggests that many are ineffective in medication management.ObjectivesTo develop and evaluate a medication management training programme whose aims are to increase the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and increase services users’ involvement in treatment decisions.ParticipantsTwenty-eight pairs of CMHPs were recruited from mental health Trusts in England. For each practitioner an average of 3.4 service users were randomly selected for their ‘study caseload’.DesignA pragmatic cluster randomised trial assessed the service users of CMHPs allocated to medication management training or waiting list controls.MethodsAll practitioner participants were taught to use a variety of assessment measures and undertook baseline assessments with their service users. The experimental practitioners then attended the training programme. At the 9-month endpoint the service users were re-assessed.ResultsAfter the outcome data was adjusted for clustering the trained practitioners made significant improvements in global psychopathology and service user involvement in treatment when compared to controls at 9 months.ConclusionsTraining CMHPs in medication management has a positive impact on clinical outcomes and service user involvement in treatment.