3 – 7 November 2008.

The focus for Ask About Medicines Week will be people with mental health problems; supporting them to ask questions about their medicines – both medicines for mental health problems and medicines for other conditions.

The campaign theme is Asking About Medicines If You Have A Mental Health Problem and will target the public, carers and health professionals. And these will be the key messages for the campaign: 

Messages for Public:

For most people with mental health problems, medicines have a part to play in the process of recovery.

All medicines can have short or long term side effects, so it's essential to work out which ones suit each person best.

Always ask questions about your medicines so that you can make better informed choices.

Carers supporting people with mental health problems should also have the opportunity to ask questions and get information about medicines.

Messages for Health Professionals:

For most people with mental health problems, medicines have a part to play in the process of recovery.

Encouraging your patients to make informed decisions about their medicines can help to ensure that they take them, thus reducing relapse and waste.

Although most people with mental health problems have the capacity to weigh up treatment choices, they may need special encouragement and support to ask questions about medicines. This applies to medicines they are taking for physical ailments too.

Carers supporting people with mental health problems also need the opportunity to ask questions and get information about medicines.

For Pharmacists:

Medicines Use Review can be an effective tool to help people with mental health problems cope with side effects and get the most out of their medicines.


We are putting the finishing touches to the campaign Action Pack and PR Tool Kit. These resources will be available next week from the Ask About Medicines website and we will send an e-bulletin to let you know how to access them.

To support the campaign this year we are developing a Medicines and Mental Health Routefinder to support people with mental health problems, carers and health professionals to find reliable information on medicines and mental health. This online resource, accessible through the Ask About Medicines website, will provide access to links to reliable information on medicines and mental health such as leaflets, resources, reports or web pages available. The resource will be launched during Ask About Medicines Week but we will ensure that our partners will be able to access the resource ahead of November so that if you choose you can promote it through your Ask About Medicines Week activities.


We will keep you updated on new resources and information via e-bulletins and the website.  If you do not already receive e-bulletins and would like to please fill in the form on the Contact page including 'sign up for e-bulletin' in the comment box. Please don't forget to include your email address.