The prescribing of sodium valproate for women of child-bearing age has been highlighted as a patient safety concern because of a risk to an unborn child should there be a pregnancy. One current initiative is to ask hospital nurses to complete a valproate card for each patient on discharge so that patients in turn take responsibility for avoiding pregnancy.
This project will use qualitative research methods to investigate the issues around continued prescribing of the drug in this patient group with an emphasis on finding solutions to change prescribing habits and to result in i) a meta-synthesis of existing research evidence about the prescribing of valproate in women of child-bearing age, ii) a grounded theory to encapsulate the current prescribing of valproate in practice, iii) a proposed model for changing practitioner prescribing behaviours.
The project will draw upon experiences from two completed PhDs that examined the prescribing of antipsychotics and stimulants, respectively, in general practice using qualitative research methods and will exploit strong links with Academic Pharmacy Units, East and West Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group pharmacists as well as the College of Mental Health Pharmacist members nationally.