Media

Press Releases

2010

Thursday 25 February 2010

Health Minister Calls For Regional Epilepsy Champions In Health Trusts

Health minister Ann Keen MP has today called for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to "identify an epilepsy champion who can drive a local review of epilepsy services and put in place an implementation plan to commission world-class epilepsy services".

The minister said that the Department of Health is working with stakeholders to develop regional clinical champions but that there was "nothing to stop" PCTs and SHAs appointing their own champions for epilepsy.

The minister made her announcement during her key note speech at the first ever joint conference on epilepsy between the public, private and voluntary sector. "Best Value, Better Care - Commissioning Epilepsy Services" is commissioned by the Department of Health, led by the Joint Epilepsy Council and supported by UCB Pharma.

The Joint Epilepsy Council has welcomed the minister's calls to action as important direction for commissioners on how to tackle the inadequacies of current epilepsy services.

A 2009 survey from the charity Epilepsy Action found that epilepsy services are failing people with epilepsy. More than half of health trusts in England do not have an epilepsy specialist nurse and 90 per cent of primary care trusts exceed waiting times for referral after a suspected first seizure.

Karen Deacon, Chair of the Joint Epilepsy Council, said: "I am delighted to see the Government endorsing the JEC view that spending on better primary care results in both better care and long term savings.

"However we still feel there is a long way to go before PCTs give epilepsy the priority it deserves. We hope today's conference has given health professionals the impetus and inspiration to transform epilepsy services across the country."

Epilepsy affects half a million people in the UK and brings a significant social and economic cost both to the individual and to the health service if not treated properly. The Best Value, Better Care conference features best practice from around the country as well as briefings from top epilepsy specialists. It is designed to boost commissioners' and clinicians' knowledge of the gaps in epilepsy provision - and how to address them effectively.

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