Azizah Attard
Azizah has been a practicing specialist mental health pharmacist for over 20 years. Holding very senior management positions within secondary and tertiary care, she specialises in providing evidence-based medicines information.
Azizah has extensive experience working at a national level, having sat on the expert panel of both the National Psychosis Unit and National Affective Disorder Unit.
As a clinician she provides assessment and treatment intervention for patients across the UK, in primary care settings in mental health. Routinely advising on the potential for a medication related side effect, the best evidence based choice in therapy (antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilisers) as well as commenting on the use of therapies in treatment resistant schizophrenia and depression are areas in which Azizah excels.
Often a highly experienced pharmacists’ clinical opinion can be uniquely evidence based, individualised to a patient’s case and can incorporate lesser known treatments, outside established guidance.
Publications
In review at Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology Olanzapine Long Acting Injection, discontinuation rates and reasons for discontinuation: 10 years’ experience at a UK High Secure Hospital Attard A*, Wakelam J, Broyd J, Taylor D, Hafferty J
Brugada Syndrome; should we be actively screening patients for this before prescribing a psychotropic medication? Attard A, Stanniland C, Rajappan K, Iles A, Attard S. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology: Jan 2022
My career as a mental health pharmacist during covid 19. Chopra P, Attard A and Parekh R. Pharmacy Management. May 2021
Clozapine: Why wait to start a laxative? Attard A, Iles A, Attard S, A Patel, N Atkinson. British Journal in Psychiatry Advances. May 2019
Paliperidone palmitate long-acting injection – prospective year-long follow-up of use in clinical practice. Attard A, Olofinjana O, Cornelius V, Curtis V, Taylor D. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2014 Jul;130(1):46-51. Epub 2013 Oct 1.
Mental state deterioration after switching from brand-name to generic olanzapine in an adolescent with bipolar affective disorder, autism and intellectual disability: a case study. Samuel R, Attard A, Kyriakopoulos M. BMC Psychiatry. 2013 Oct 4;13:244.
Antidepressants. Medicine 40(12); 681-183. December 2012, Azizah Attard
Comparative effectiveness of atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenia: what have real-world trials taught us? Attard A, Taylor DM. CNS Drugs. 2012 Jun 1;26(6):491-508.Review.
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEI’s) for the treatment of visual hallucinations in schizophrenia: a review of the literature. Patel SS, Attard A, Jacobsen P, Shergill S. BMC Psychiatry. 2010 Sep 7;10:69. Review.
Review: limited evidence that adding a second antipsychotic improves clozapine treatment in schizophrenia. Attard A, Gaughran F. Evid Based Ment Health. 2009 Nov;12(4):112
Alternative routes to oral antidepressant therapy: case vignette and literature review. Attard A, Ranjith G, Taylor D. J Psychopharmacol. 2010 Apr;24(4):449-54. Review.
Delirium and its treatment. Attard A, Ranjith G, Taylor D. CNS Drugs. 2008;22(8):631-44. Review.
A career as a psychiatric liaison pharmacist. Pharmaceutical Journal. 2008: 15(3). A Attard ; D McRobbie ; DM Taylor ; T West
Contributions to other publications
Service Improvement Guide: Self Administration of Medicines in Mental Health Hospitals
National Prescribing Centre 2008
Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines, South London and Maudsley and Oxleas NHS Trusts
Keynote speaker presentations
A naturalistic evaluation of the use of paliperidone palmitate (PP) at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust: The same old story? A Attard for Prof D M Taylor
Conference oral presentations
17th Bienniel Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia, Marrakech, 14-16 February 2013
Expert Panel Member on Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia With the National Psychosis Unit
Schizophrenia Research In Science (SIRS), Florence 2012
“Cardiovascular side effects of antipsychotics”
National Psychosis Unit training days at locations across the United Kingdom for the Royal College of Psychiatrists
“Medication Options in Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia”
Qualifications and memberships
Qualifications
2020 Education Programme Director and Supervisor Course
2012 Independent Prescribing Skills Course Summer KCL
2006 Supplementary Prescribing Skills Course
2006 Continuing Professional Development Coordinator Course LPET
2005 Ethics in Medical Research Course KCL
2004 Postgraduate Diploma in General Pharmacy Practice (DipGPP)
1995 BPharm Otago University
Memberships
2001 Member of General Pharmaceutical Council UK
2001 Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society UK
2000 Member of Australian Pharmaceutical Council
1999 Member of New Zealand Pharmaceutical Council
Dr Stephen Attard
Dr Stephen Attard is a skilled consultant forensic psychiatrist who has experience of leading clinical services and medical teams.
Dr Attard works in a close supervision centre as the lead psychiatrist, a psychology-informed offender personality disorder service, a prison ADHD clinic, and a court liaison and diversion service.
He has extensive experience in other clinical settings including male low and male medium security, male and female psychiatric intensive care, locked rehabilitation, community forensic outreach and liaison, and in private outpatient services
Publications
Attard, A., Attard, S., Stanniland, C., Iles, A., and Rajappan, K. Brugada Syndrome – should we be screening before prescribing psychotropic medication? Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. January 2022. doi:10.1177/20451253211067017
Attard, A., Iles, A., Attard, S., Atkinson, N., & Patel, A. (n.d.). Clozapine: Why wait to start a laxative? BJPsych Advances, 1-10. doi:10.1192/bja.2019.42
Kolla, N.J., Attard, S., Craig, G., Blackwood, N. and Hodgins, S., 2014. Monoamine oxidase A alleles in violent offenders with antisocial personality disorder: high activity associated with proactive aggression. Criminal behaviour and mental health, 24(5), pp.368-372.
N. J. Kolla, S. Gregory, S, Attard, N. Blackwood, S Hodgins. Disentangling possible effects of childhood physical abuse on gray matter changes in violent offenders with psychopathy: Psychiatry Res. 2014 Feb 28; 221(2): 123–126
Kolla, N.J., Malcolm, C., Attard, S., Arenovich, T., Blackwood, N. and Hodgins, S., 2013. Childhood maltreatment and aggressive behaviour in violent offenders with psychopathy. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 58(9), pp.487-494.
Berman J, Attard S; Forensic Psychiatry, Chapter 31 Core Psychiatry 3rd edition , 2011 (EIselvier)
Ali, S. Attard; Auditing the care programme approach for people with learning disability: a 4 -year audit cycle – Psychiatr. Bull., Nov 2006; 30: 415 – 418
Qualifications & Professional memberships
MBChB
MRCPsych (Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists)
Approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983, as amended in 2007