Bernadette Rehman
BPharm, MSc, PGDipPH, RegPharmNZ
National Clinical Pharmacist, Summerset Group Holdings Ltd, NZ Bernadette is a registered and experienced clinical pharmacist with a special interest in geriatric pharmacotherapy. She currently works as the National Clinical Pharmacist for Summerset New Zealand and as a Clinical Pharmacist for West Auckland Hospice. In both these roles, she helps navigate the intricacies of polypharmacy and multimorbidity, with a strong commitment to improving medication safety and health outcomes for older adults.
Bernadette has extensive experience in residential aged care, multidisciplinary healthcare teams, hospital pharmacy, palliative care and leadership roles in Clinical Pharmacy. She is passionate about optimising medicine use in older adults, committed to reducing medication-related harm and enhancing quality of life for older people in residential settings. She is a firm believer in a person-centred approach and is a respected contributor to the advancement of geriatric pharmacy practice. |
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Bernadette’s experience in quality improvement and medication safety initiatives within the aged care sector as well as her expertise in supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults through safe and effective medication management, has seen her support and deliver several quality improvement initiatives and projects in both secondary and aged care. Bernadette has been a speaker at various workshops and conferences at both a national and international level.
ReDAP (ReDucing AntiPsychotics) in Memory Care Units (MCUs) –
A Resident Centred Care Project
Background
Several published systematic reviews and meta-analyses have highlighted the ongoing challenges with antipsychotic use in dementia, with some studies showing significant numbers of patients receiving antipsychotics for extended periods, even when non-pharmacological approaches could be effective. A June 2024 baseline audit of antipsychotic use in all MCUs at Summerset showed high prescribing rates.
Aim
To reduce the inappropriate prescribing and administration of antipsychotic medicines in residents with a diagnosis of dementia.
Method
Residents in 4 MCUs prescribed an antipsychotic were included in the project (September 2024 to March 2025). All 4 sites received a multidisciplinary toolkit of medication audit and benchmarking; education, training and clinical support (staff, prescribers and pharmacists) and monthly medicines optimisation (MDT) review. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of antipsychotic prescribing, analysed at baseline and at 6 months.
Results
During the 6-month study period, the proportion of residents that were prescribed a regular and PRN (as required) antipsychotic reduced by 69% and 86% respectively, with a 100% reduction in those residents where it was prescribed both regularly and PRN.
Conclusion
A targeted multidisciplinary intervention program with a resident-centred care focus, was successful in reducing the inappropriate prescribing and administration of antipsychotics in dementia care residents.
Several published systematic reviews and meta-analyses have highlighted the ongoing challenges with antipsychotic use in dementia, with some studies showing significant numbers of patients receiving antipsychotics for extended periods, even when non-pharmacological approaches could be effective. A June 2024 baseline audit of antipsychotic use in all MCUs at Summerset showed high prescribing rates.
Aim
To reduce the inappropriate prescribing and administration of antipsychotic medicines in residents with a diagnosis of dementia.
Method
Residents in 4 MCUs prescribed an antipsychotic were included in the project (September 2024 to March 2025). All 4 sites received a multidisciplinary toolkit of medication audit and benchmarking; education, training and clinical support (staff, prescribers and pharmacists) and monthly medicines optimisation (MDT) review. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of antipsychotic prescribing, analysed at baseline and at 6 months.
Results
During the 6-month study period, the proportion of residents that were prescribed a regular and PRN (as required) antipsychotic reduced by 69% and 86% respectively, with a 100% reduction in those residents where it was prescribed both regularly and PRN.
Conclusion
A targeted multidisciplinary intervention program with a resident-centred care focus, was successful in reducing the inappropriate prescribing and administration of antipsychotics in dementia care residents.