At some point, while I was studying drugs related to mental disorders in pharmacy school, I asked my pharmacology teacher this question: "Do you believe that mental health facilities (from Romania) are managing well the psychiatric patients?"
I asked this question beacause:
It seems a little odd to me that in our hospitals there are lots of patients and few doctors;
It is harder for a psychiatric patient to recover while being near lots of other psychiatric patients: isn't the patient feeling as a misfit in the world if he is hospitalised in such institutions with so many other patients? What I am saying is that they don't feel integrated in the "normal" world. I strongly believe that it is essential for a mental patient to feel as "normal" and understood as posible, for him to reintegrate in society. In Romania the mental health problems are still a taboo;
I think it helps if the patient is treated at home, obviously after their caretakers are instructed in this way and after the patient is stabilised.
How can we help such patients as pharmacists?
A fascinating overview of psychiatric patients within Romania.
I'm not sure how to help as a pharmacist, not being one myself it would be hard to comment.
You raise some vital points about the problem of integrating patients within the wider community. Unfortunately, a distinction has to be made about which of these patients represent a danger to themselves or other people.
I suppose pharmacists themselves will have a crucial part to play in the monitoring and distribution of key drugs used in the treatment of schizophrenia, depression and BPD etc. Perhaps by communicating more fully with GPs and mental health providers if they become aware that a patient has ceased taking their medication.
Outreach programs would be essential to ensure that patients are taking medication on time.
It's a fascinating topic all the same.