Growing overseas concern about the over-use of powerful anti-psychotic medicines for the elderly has prompted guidelines for their use in New Zealand.
The guidelines have been issued to doctors by Pharmac and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who say there is room to improve the way the drug is prescribed.
Anti-psychotic drugs are frequently used to treat dementia patients in residential care and have been linked in Britain and the United States to higher death rates and an increased risk of stroke.
Pharmac's Medical Director Peter Moodie says there has been a tendency to prescribe the drugs too quickly in the past.
Dr Moodie says he is now recommending a more cautious approach.
He says rest homes will be asked to work with doctors and pharmacists to review the use of the drugs.