(2) what estimate she has made of the proportion of people being treated for epilepsy who are not being treated by a specialist;
(3) what the misdiagnosis rate is for epilepsy;
(4) what targets her Department has set relating to (a) long-term monitoring, (b) reduction of mortality, (c) severe morbidity and (d) diagnostic accuracy for epilepsy.
The Department has not set targets for long-term monitoring, reduction in mortality, severe morbidity or diagnostic accuracy for epilepsy. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published, in October 2004, a clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care. This guideline makes recommendations for treatment and care provided by general practitioners and by specialists. Local health bodies should review their existing practice for epilepsy to implement these recommendations.
Information on the proportion of those being treated for epilepsy who are not being treated by a specialist is not collected.
Information on the misdiagnosis rate for epilepsy is not collected.
Since the start of 2003 the national health service has purchased 157 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and 131 computerised axial tomography (CAT) scanners.
(2) which primary care trusts (a) have and (b) do not have equipment that can accurately assess different types of epilepsy in (i) Greater London, broken down by London borough, and (ii) England.
Information is not collected centrally on the number of specialist epilepsy care nurses, or agency staff, employed in the national health service.
Nurse specialist roles have been developed to address the unmet care needs for people with a variety of neurological conditions, including epilepsy. Specialist epilepsy nurses provide an additional clinical resource and have spearheaded the development of nurse-led and fast access clinics, monitoring treatment regimes and seizure control, support and information on aspects of medication and side effects and lifestyle precautions.
Specialist epilepsy nurse posts were developed through the British Epilepsy Association, now Epilepsy Action, in association with the Wellcome Foundation. There are a number of funding mechanisms supporting their development including the voluntary sector, pharmaceutical industry and the NHS.
Information on the type of equipment used for the diagnosis of epilepsy owned by each trust is not collected centrally.
Information on the number of children with epilepsy attending mainstream schools is not collected.
(2) how many (a) adults and (b) children suffering from epilepsy require full-time specialist care in (i) Greater London, broken down by London borough, and (ii) England.
Information on the number of adults and children living with, and requiring full-time specialist care for, epilepsy is not collected.