Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will update the quality outcome framework for epilepsy to include the pregnancy prevention program for valproate.

The Quality Outcomes Framework (QoF) indicator which focuses on epilepsy requires that General Medical Services (GMS) establish and maintain a register of patients aged 18 or over receiving drug treatment for epilepsy.

In July 2018, NHS England and NHS Improvement published the ‘Report of the Review of the Quality and Outcomes Framework in England.’ This identified a number of principles for the reform and update of QoF which NHS England and NHS Improvement are continuing to implement, including a focus upon quality improvement activities in areas where metric development is challenging, and upon an increased personalisation of care.