Psychotropics in Disability and Aged Care

This webinar provides a comprehensive, evidence-informed overview of psychotropics, focusing on antipsychotic use across both sectors. Drawing on current Australian clinical guidelines, regulatory frameworks, and peer-reviewed evidence, it addresses the clinical, ethical, and legal dimensions of psychotropic prescribing.
CPD HOURS: 1
Registration Year 2025/2026
 

Course Content

Antipsychotic medicines are among the most commonly prescribed — and most commonly misused — psychotropic medicines in Australian aged care and disability settings.
The Royal Commissions into Aged Care Quality and Safety (2019) and Disability (2023) both identified their inappropriate use as a significant patient safety issue, prompting a strengthened national regulatory response that directly affects nursing practice.
This webinar provides a comprehensive, evidence-informed overview of psychotropics, focusing on antipsychotic use across both sectors. Drawing on current Australian clinical guidelines, regulatory frameworks, and peer-reviewed evidence, it addresses the clinical, ethical, and legal dimensions of psychotropic prescribing.

We examine prescribing considerations specific to intellectual and developmental disability in depth, including the need to exclude physical causes of behaviour change, syndrome-specific comorbidities that influence drug choice, and the
PBS and TGA status of commonly used agents.

It will also cover Behaviour Support Plans: their legal mandate in both aged care and NDIS funded settings, the five-step process for their development and evaluation, and the nurse's pivotal role in their implementation.

Why this session may be relevant to your work

As a nurse, this education is essential because antipsychotic medicines are widely used in aged care and disability settings, yet their misuse has been clearly identified as a patient safety risk in Australia. With increased regulatory scrutiny following the Royal Commissions, nurses are now directly accountable for recognising inappropriate prescribing, monitoring for harm, and ensuring care aligns with legal and ethical standards.

Learning Outcomes

In this session, you will:
  • Describe the evidence base for antipsychotic use in people with intellectual/developmental disability and dementia
  • Explain the Australian regulatory and policy framework governing psychotropic prescribing in aged care and disability settings
  • Identify key prescribing considerations specific to people with intellectual/developmental disability and autism
  • Recognise the purpose, legal requirement, and five-step process of Behaviour Support Plans 

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Amy Gibson

BPharm GCertHlthProfEd MClinPharm
Amy is a credentialed clinical pharmacist with experience across a range of sectors, including community pharmacy, corporate pharmacy operations, multidisciplinary teams, residential aged care and general practice.