Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to specialists and (b) investment in medical research for epilepsy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline The diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care, published in January 2012, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment and care and of people with epilepsy. In addition to drug based treatments, the guidance also recommends that a range of support should be in place for people with epilepsy, including a comprehensive care plan and access to psychological support.

The NICE guideline recommends that people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist with training and expertise in epilepsy. Patients whose epilepsy cannot be satisfactorily controlled or whose condition cannot be appropriately diagnosed should be referred to the specialised neurological service, which is commissioned nationally by NHS England.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has increased investment into neurological disorders from £29.7 million in 2009/10 to £39.3 million in 2013/14. The NIHR welcomes research applications into any area of human health including epilepsy.