Highly commended - STOMP/STAMP: From Guidelines to Real Change (2025)

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Learning Disability and Autism Collaborative

Project summary

The Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR) STOMP/STAMP programme supports national efforts to reduce inappropriate prescribing of psychotropic medications for people with a learning disability, autism, or both. Established in 2021, the LLR Working Group brings together professionals from primary and secondary care, commissioning teams, and, since 2023, a representative with lived experience. The initiative aims to embed STOMP/STAMP principles into routine care and raise awareness among patients, families, and carers. 

Initially focused on primary care, the programme launched a rolling training initiative co-delivered by a Primary Care Liaison Nurse and an ICB Pharmacist. This helped upskill GPs and pharmacists to deliver meaningful medication reviews. Other professionals, particularly those involved in annual health checks, are also encouraged to participate. The programme has since expanded to include online workshops for patients and carers, integrated GP system templates, guidance documents, and wider awareness of an advice email service for clinicians. These practical tools embed STOMP/STAMP into everyday practice. Guidance documents have been shared widely via local newsletters to further support clinicians conducting the reviews.

Data and outcomes are central to the initiative. Anonymised analysis has informed ongoing improvements, with the number of reviews increasing from 735 in 2022/23 to 1,090 in 2023/24 and rising sharply to 3218 in 2024/25. A growing proportion of these reviews have resulted in deprescribing medications found to be ineffective or inappropriate. While these outcomes are promising, challenges remain in capturing a fully accurate and comprehensive picture of impact, highlighting the need for continued improvement in data collection and reporting.

Collaboration with the Autism Space Team and lived experience partners has resulted in co-produced, accessible resources, including videos and visual guides. These tools support individuals and carers in understanding psychotropic medication and the review process. This ensures patient-centred care and empowers individuals to actively participate in decisions affecting their health.

By integrating STOMP/STAMP reviews into the 2022/23 LLR Medicines Optimisation Framework and aligning with the PCN DES, the project has integrated psychotropic medication reviews into the core of primary care operations. This comprehensive, cross-sector, data-informed initiative offers a replicable model for reducing harm, enhancing safety, and improving health outcomes for a highly vulnerable population and demonstrates the power of system-wide collaboration in delivering sustainable change.

This cross-sector, data-informed approach has demonstrated that system-wide collaboration and continuous professional development can lead to safer, more appropriate prescribing and better health outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autism.