Call to politicians for better
epilepsy services
Click here for a print
version
PRESS RELEASE: 22 May
2009
The People from across the UK met with
politicians this week to demand better epilepsy healthcare, as
part of National Epilepsy Week. Lobbies were coordinated by the
Joint Epilepsy Council of the UK and Ireland (JEC) - an
umbrella organisation of 26 charities, working together to
improve the standard and accessibility of health and support
services for people with epilepsy.
Events took place at Westminster, Stormont,
the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales to
highlight the problems with epilepsy services across the
UK. Over 90 politicians from across the UK attended, with
many meeting their constituents to hear about their experiences
of current epilepsy services.
Epilepsy services can vary greatly across
the country. In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales people
living in bigger areas and cities currently receive a better
service than others. Those in more rural areas tend to
experience difficulties in accessing services, due to distances
from major hospitals and specialist epilepsy clinics.
Every year in England, 990 people die of
epilepsy-related causes. A 2005 report by the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Epilepsy, Wasted Money, Wasted Lives,
revealed that 400 of these deaths are avoidable. The report
also found that 69,000 people live with unnecessary seizures
and £189 million is needlessly spent each year.
A recent report by Epilepsy Action,
Epilepsy in England: Time for change, also revealed a catalogue
of failings in epilepsy care and services across the country.
So far, more than 180 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM)
tabled in support of Time for change.
The lobby followed a meeting with Health
Minister Ann Keen MP, in which she responded to both reports
and outlined her plans for improving epilepsy services. In
particular she promised to write to all Strategic Health
Authorities, highlighting the reports and urging them to review
their epilepsy services. She also promised to set up a meeting
between the JEC and Director of Commissioning Mark Britnell, to
discuss how World Class epilepsy services should be designed
and commissioned.
Karen Deacon, chair of the JEC, said: "We
are delighted that so many politicians attended the parliament
and assembly events and met with their constituents. The
meetings have given people affected by epilepsy a fantastic
opportunity to highlight the need for improved services. We
hope that politicians will put pressure on government and local
health services to prioritise epilepsy and provide the standard
of services that people with epilepsy so desperately need."
- ENDS -
Notes to
editor:
1. For more information about the JEC
and National Epilepsy Week please visit http://www.jointepilepsycouncil.org.uk/
2. For more information about Wasted
Money, Wasted Lives, visit
http://www.jointepilepsycouncil.org.uk/Wasted-Money-Wasted-Lives.html
3. For more information about the Time
for Change report visit http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/timeforchange
4. For further information about
anything in this release please contact Aimee Bowen at Epilepsy
Action on 0113 210 8866, or email press@epilepsy.org.uk, or
Amanda Cleaver at the National Society for Epilepsy on 01494
601404 or email amanda.cleaver@epilepsysociety.org.uk
For enquiries made outside normal office working hours, please
call 07745 095 838.
| 
