The epilepsy service is run by doctors and nurses with expertise in epilepsy. they will help you to manage your condition. Patients are referred to us by their GPs, consultants in medicine or accident and emergency. You can also be referred through the general neurology service once a diagnosis has been made.
The role of the service includes helping people to understand modern epilepsy care through education and training.
We are able to work with the other healthcare professionals and individuals involved in your care.
What is epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common condition with about one in every 100 people in the UK developing it at some point in their life. It is defined as a tendency to have recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Seizures are sudden disturbances of electrical activity in the brain).
There are many causes of epilepsy and special tests are often needed to find out why you have developed it and to decide what the best treatment is for you. Fortunately, in the majority of cases epilepsy can be controlled by taking anti-epileptic drugs regularly.
Role of the service
- To be a single point of contact for patients, relatives, carers and health care professionals.
- To give a holistic assessment and provide ongoing support and monitoring.
- To provide individual management plans.
- To be an effective and coordinated link between hospitals, community services and other health care professionals who may be involved in a patients care.
- To provide appropriate, timely and accurate information along with specialist advice to patients, families and their carers during investigations and from the time of diagnosis.
- To promote a wider understanding of epilepsy by providing education, advice and support to other healthcare professionals and voluntary agencies involved in any aspect of a patients care.
- To develop the epilepsy service through regular review and patient involvement.
Specialist clinics
We run a number of specialist clinics including:
- First seizure
- Complex epilepsy
- Epilepsy specialist nurse led
- Learning disability and epilepsy
- Pregnancy and epilepsy including pre-natal counselling
- Epilepsy surgery
- Genetic epilepsy
- Non-epileptic attacks psychology
First seizure clinic
This is a clinic for people who have had their first suspected seizure.
Referrals are taken from emergency departments and GPs around the region. You will see a doctor with expertise in seizures and blackout.
It is very important that you bring someone with you who has seen your blackout if possible. Once you have seen the doctor a nurse specialist will give you advice about safety and first aid for seizures.
Specialist care and support
Our team includes an epilepsy specialist nurse who will provide support and advice to help you and your family manage your symptoms and administer your own medication, so that you can carry on with normal daily life. Our Epilepsy Nurse runs special clinics where you can discuss any concerns you may have and there is also a dedicated telephone helpline which you can use.
Advanced technology and clinical expertise
We provide a range of specialist investigations to help understand why you have developed the condition and how best to control your symptoms. These include:
Electroencephalogram (EEG) – this measures the electrical activity of the brain and helps to diagnose the type of epilepsy someone has.
Computerised Tomography scan (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – these scans can help to identify any abnormality in the brain.
Videotelemetry (VT) – this is a prolonged recording of the EEG with video that enables doctors to see what happens to the brain activity during a seizure.
Useful information
The Epilepsy Society
- Tel: 01494 601 400
- Website: www.epilepsysociety.org.uk
Epilepsy Action
- Tel: 0808 800 5050
- Website: www.epilepsy.org.uk