(Image: Supplied)
Two North East patient champions have received national recognition for raising awareness of the importance of medication reviews for people with learning disabilities.
Ann Marie, 37, from Stockton, and Barry have spent two years supporting the STOMP (Stopping Over-Medication of People) project, which aims to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities by promoting safer medication use.
The pair were honoured with the community and collaboration award at the National Lived Experience Awards for their work on the scheme, which is led by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV).
Ann Marie and Barry with their award from the National Lived Experience Awards (Image: Supplied)
Ann Marie said: "My own STOMP medication review changed my life.
"I was a bit worried at first, but my life has changed for the better.
"I feel like a new person, and I really want others to benefit as well.
"It's like a dream to be able to spread the message about STOMP and get the word out to everyone."
Ann Marie, centre, at the National Lived Experience Awards (Image: Supplied)
The STOMP project targets the over-prescribing of antipsychotic medication, particularly for people without a diagnosis of serious mental illness.
Ann Marie and Barry have co-produced accessible resources, campaign videos, and worked with trainee pharmacists to promote patient-centred care.
Their efforts have supported dozens of people to receive the right medication, at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest possible time.
She said: "When I found out that we'd won the Lived Experience award, it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
Ann Marie and Barry taking part in a campaign film for STOMP (Image: Supplied)
"I'm still absolutely buzzing.
"Working with the STOMP team has been amazing.
"I feel like a new person.
"My life has changed for the better and STOMP can help change the lives of others too."
An estimated 35,000 adults with a learning disability, autism, or both are taking prescribed antipsychotics daily without a diagnosis of serious mental illness.
Long-term use of these drugs can lead to serious health issues, so STOMP is working with pharmacists to review and reduce medication, when safe to do so.
Sue Sargeant, an advanced nurse who helped lead the project alongside primary care liaison nurse Claire Donnelly, said: "STOMP is amazing.
"We are so passionate about it.
"Word about STOMP is really starting to spread.
"We are delighted that our project, and the hard work of Ann Marie and Barry, has been recognised with this award."
She said the project was fully co-created and built around patient voice.
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Ms Sargeant said: "STOMP is a fully co-created project, with patient voice at its heart.
"It is all about improving quality of life, and we’ve many positive changes since it launched."
Hundreds of people across Durham and Teesside have so far undergone medication reviews as part of STOMP.