An Audit to Assess the First Patient Follow-Up After Initiation of SSRIs in Primary Care

AIMS: NICE guidelines recommend that patients started on antidepressants aged 18–25 years are reviewed 1 week after initiating treatment to check response. All other patients should be reviewed within 2 weeks. The audit aimed to evaluate if these guidelines are being met in Primary Care now that most mental health appointments have changed from face to face to telephone consultations post COVID-19. METHODS: Notes of 60 patients that had been started on an SSRI across the period of January 2022 – December 2022 at a North West based Primary Care practice were analysed. Time from initial consultation to medication review with a general practitioner (GP) and/or contact with a Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) within the practice were recorded. Consultation notes from MHPs were analysed for reference to tolerability of medication to assess if the patient's new treatment was discussed as part of support appointments. RESULTS: Median time for initial follow-up of patients aged 18–25 years was 3 weeks demonstrating 8% compliance with NICE guidelines. Median time for initial follow-up for those >25 was 4 weeks, demonstrating 19% compliance with NICE guidelines. Of those that did not receive a follow-up with a GP within the suggested time frame, 20% met with a MHP for support with their condition and had side effects of new medication referenced in the notes. Within 4 weeks, 58% of patients had an appointment with a MHP where medication was mentioned. Median follow-up for anxiety disorders was 4.5 weeks compared to disorders of depression at 4 weeks. Patients new to the SSRI were followed up at a median of 3 weeks compared to 4 weeks for those that had completed a course previously. CONCLUSION: Current follow-up of patients at the practice is not compliant with NICE guidelines. A practice meeting will be held to identify improvements to the patient follow-up process and look at the barriers patients face when arranging follow-up appointments. More than half of audited patients met with a MHP for support within 4 weeks of SSRI initiation. This highlights an opportunity to assess patients that are already meeting with practice staff when GPs have been unable to review them within the time frame. A pro-forma will be developed for MHP to utilise to specifically ask about medication. A repeat audit of both GP and MHP appointments will be completed in 6 months.