Dr. Amanda Burke:

Anti-psychotic medications are used in a variety of situations and it depends on the diagnosis in the particular instance. Consultants would look at standard practice. We would look at guidelines such as those of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence in terms of our prescribing practices. You would prescribe in line with that guidance, for example, doses specific to weight. You would monitor the physical parameters in terms of these.

There is clinical judgment though and this is why they are instituted by a clinical specialist. One has to, first of all, diagnose and say that this is appropriate as part of a care plan. This is rarely done in isolation by one person and usually done in a team approach.