Leading psychiatrists have knocked back suggestions that the abuse of chemical restraints in aged care could be addressed by restricting antipsychotic prescribing to their specialty.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety took aim at GPs in its interim report released last month, calling out their “frequent prescription” of psychotropic medications.

It said GPs, nurses and personal care staff lacked the necessary skills and knowledge of safe alternatives to the management of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

It quoted research on 11,400 patients across 139 aged care facilities, which suggested 22% had been regularly administered antipsychotics, half of which were risperidone.