Feasibility of a pharmacist-led physical health monitoring for patients on antipsychotic medications: protocol for a longitudinal study

Introduction: Physical health conditions are the leading causes of death in people living with severe mental illness. In particular, the risk of metabolic syndrome; the constellation of abnormalities in weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels, is high in this cohort. It has been recognised that commonly prescribed pharmacological agents for mental illness can further amplify the risk of developing metabolic syndrome; therefore, monitoring guidelines are in place for consumers prescribed antipsychotics. However, there is a disconnect between recommended guidelines and current practice. Our study aims to investigate: (1) the feasibility of a community pharmacist-led physical health monitoring for metabolic parameters in consumers with mental illness currently taking second generation antipsychotics and (2) the potential outcomes of the intervention (eg, rates and outcome of referrals to general practitioners, relationship between the pharmacist's lifestyle counselling advice and change in metabolic parameters).

Methods and analysis: We propose a longitudinal metabolic monitoring study led by community pharmacists with one-to-one consultations between trained pharmacists and participants at set intervals over a 12-month period. Our primary outcome is to determine the feasibility of the pharmacist-led intervention. The secondary outcome is to explore the overall health outcomes of consumers enrolled in the intervention. This is a mixed-methods study including both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. Qualitative data will be analysed via the process of data immersion, coding and identification of themes. Quantitative outcomes will be analysed using IBM Statistics SPSS software. Univariate descriptive, regression analysis and dependent t-tests will be performed. Statistical significance will be at α 0.05.

Ethics and dissemination: Our study has been approved by the institutional Human Research Ethics Committee (Protocol no: 203433). Findings will be made publicly available in peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations to health professionals, as well as other stakeholders. Protocol V.2.1, August 2021.

Trial registration number: ACTRN12621001435875.