A new website offering information about medications used in the mental health setting to help people make informed decisions about treatment was launched at the House of Commons last week, to mark World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2008.

The website www.choiceandmedication.org.uk is the result of a successful collaboration between the United Kingdom Psychiatric Pharmacy Group (UKPPG), the Pharmaceutical Schizophrenia Initiative (PSI) and the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE).

Dr Ian McPherson, Director of  NIMHE, said “I am delighted that NIMHE has been able to support this project which helps make informed choice a reality and benefits both service users and mental health professionals”.

Dr Ian McPherson explained “the toolkit we have produced will enable service users, clinicians and carers to make those informed and inclusive decisions about appropriate medication and empower service users to have a real say in their treatment”. Further developments and enhancements will improve the website over next year.

University of East Anglia Professor Stephen Bazire – site author, UKPPG committee member and Chief Pharmacist, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – outlined “We anticipate this new site […] as the missing link that can and should be used by all mental health professionals.”