Newshound

MDU warns on depression treatment

Publication date: 14 Jun 2008

Nearly £3m in compensation has been paid out by the Medical Defence Union to settle claims arising from GPs’ treatment of depression over the past 10 years.

The 30 claims include more than £1m to a patient with a history of depression who was left severely brain damaged following an overdose after being prescribed the antimalarial mefloquine. Over £21 000 was paid to a patient who became addicted to an antidepressant, and over £6500 to an older patient with depression whose GP missed a fractured hip.

Femi Oyebode, consultant psychiatrist and MDU Council member, said there were three main risk areas for GPs when treating depression: medication, failure to recognise suicide risk, and failure to diagnose or treat an unrelated condition.

On the basis of previous cases he advised GPs to follow the latest guidance on antidepressants and to take particular care when prescribing drugs with similar names, that come in different formulae and strengths, or that could interact with other drugs (for example, lithium and diuretics). Patients need to understand what is being prescribed and to have been informed of the risks, side effects, and any alternatives to treatment, he said.

Practices need to have systems in place to track specialist referrals, to review patients on long term medication, and to assess all depressed patients’ risk of suicide regularly. Professor Oyebode emphasised that under shared care agreements it was important to be clear about who was responsible for monitoring and treatment.