In this podcast Emma Bryant (Mental Health Lead at NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service) speaks with Dr Rania Ward, Principal Pharmacist for Sleep Medicine, who answers some of the questions posed in the chat during our recent webinar, SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: insomnia focus (14 April 2026).

00.45 - Sleep cycle and shift patterns

03.23 - Cumulative sleep

04.45 - Red flags

10.22 - Treat the underlying cause or start hypnotics

12.34 - Pharmacological options

15.07 - Melatonin

20.11 - Serious mental illness (SMI) and insomnia

22.22 - New medicines for insomnia (daridorexant)

26.46 - Non-pharmacological treatments

31.12 - More information and training

Dr Rania Ward; Principal Pharmacist for Sleep Medicine, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Emma Bryant; Mental Health Lead, Medicines Use and Safety, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service

Useful links

SMRs in problematic polypharmacy: case based discussions

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/smrs-in-problematic-polypharmacy-case-based-discussions/

National Sleep Pharmacy Network

https://nspn.co.uk/

RCGP Learning (Insomnia)

https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/info.php?id=824

PCPharm (Insomnia Learning Programme)

https://courses.learning.rpharms.com/product?catalog=RCP-Clinical-19