Sodium Valproate: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to mandate structured medication reviews for patients receiving long-term sodium valproate, particularly as part of antiepileptic polytherapy.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
There are no current plans to mandate Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) specifically for patients receiving long-term sodium valproate. NHS England has, however, provided substantial funding to expand the number of clinical pharmacists working in primary care networks, with a key part of their role being to undertake SMRs for groups of patients who are most likely to benefit. Whilst treatment with sodium valproate does not, in itself, guarantee an SMR, an SMR might be triggered if a patient meets certain criteria, for example, if they are considered to have complex and problematic polypharmacy or if they are in a care home.
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