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Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Formulary
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
Formulary Chapter: 4 - Central nervous system 
Notes:

Any drug not listed on the Formulary should be considered Non-Formulary - Not recommended for prescribing

04.08.01 Control of epilepsy
04.08.01 Partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation
04.08.01 Carbamazepine and Oxcarbazepine

Carbamazepine
(For epilepsy)

Formulary

100mg, 200mg Tablets
200mg & 400mg Sustained Release Tablets
100mg/5mL Suspension

WARNING: Prescribe by brand to ensure patient is maintained on a specific manufacturer's product.

L&D hospital: Tegretol is the brand stocked which most patients are on. Other brands can be ordered if needed.

 

 

 

Carbamazepine 125mg, 250mg
(Suppositories)

Restricted Drug Restricted

Where oral administration not possible.
When switching from oral formulations to suppositories the dosage should be increased by approximately 25% (the 125 and 250mg suppositories correspond to 100 and 200mg tablets respectively).
Where Suppositories are used the maximum daily dose is limited to 1000mg (250mg qid at 6 hour intervals).
N.B. Cost increase to £144 for 5 x 125mg, £168 x 5 x 250mg
Only prescribe for short-term use in epilepsy. Consider enteral tube administration if for longer than 2-3 days.

Eslicarbazepine

Formulary

200mg, 800mg tablets.

Zebinix® 50mg/1ml oral suspension

Entry reviewed March 2025

Oxcarbazepine
(Oral)

Formulary
150mg, 300mg & 600mg Tablets
300mg/5mL Suspension

Prescribing generically or by brand is discretionary.

Restricted - to initiation by Neurology specialists, with continuation by GPs and to be used in accordance with NICE CG137 - see link above.(Replaces NICE TA76).
04.08.01 Ethosuximide
04.08.01 Gabapentin and pregabalin
04.08.01 Lacosamide
04.08.01 Lamotrigine
04.08.01 Levetiracetam
04.08.01 Perampanel
04.08.01 Phenobarbital and other barbiturates
04.08.01 Phenytoin
04.08.01 Rufinamide
04.08.01 Tiagabine
04.08.01 Topiramate
04.08.01 Valproate
04.08.01 Vigabatrin
04.08.01 Zonisamide
04.08.01 Benzodiazepines
04.08.01 Other Drugs
Classifications
May be initiated in any care setting
Specialist to advise therapy and provide first 28 days supply, continuation in Primary Care
Specialist to initiate and stabilise medicine prior to continuation in Primary Care
To be prescribed as per Shared Care Guidance. If no SCG in place status reverts to red.
Red medicines are designated as specialist only medicines which should only be prescribed by a specialist, usually within secondary care (either due to the requirement for specialist knowledge, long-term monitoring requirements, or restrictions that mean medicine supplies are only available to hospitals).
A decision has been made either locally and/or nationally not to routinely commission this preparation. Do not prescribe.
To be purchased over the counter. May be prescribed for chronic, long term conditions or on admission to hospital if essential.