Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure adequate levels of supply of medications prescribed for epilepsy.

There are around 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the United Kingdom, and while most are in good supply, there can sometimes be supply issues with a limited number of medicines. The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global. Supply disruption is an issue which affects the UK, as well as the other countries around the world.

The Department has been working intensively to address issues with the supply of some epilepsy medications. Guidance has been issued to healthcare professionals on how to manage patients requiring affected medicines while supply is disrupted.

We will continue to work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock. The Department has been engaging with the Epilepsy Society, and we will continue to keep them updated on any developments.