Reducing inappropriate antidepressant use in primary care

Dr Susie Fletcher met with leading antidepressant cessation researchers in the UK, thanks to a Dyason Fellowship

Antidepressants are frequently used for longer than required, which is costly and poses a number of health risks. This Dyason Fellowship supported Dr Fletcher to visit Professor Tony Kendrick and his team at the University of Southampton, who are leading a program of research to identify feasible, safe, reliable, and cost-effective ways of helping patients cease their antidepressant when appropriate. The learnings from this visit will inform the development of an online antidepressant cessation intervention suitable for Australian context, a prototype of which is currently being designed by Dr Fletcher and the integrated mental health team.