PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Epilepsy: Diagnosis (1 March 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each parliamentary constituency have been diagnosed with epilepsy; and what the average time taken was for someone to receive a diagnosis of epilepsy in the last 12 months.

Asked by:
Jonathan Reynolds (Labour)

Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with epilepsy in each parliamentary constituency and waiting times for diagnosis is not collected.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) best practice guideline The diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care, updated in 2012, estimates that epilepsy affects between 362,000 and 415,000 people in England. The guidance states that people having a first seizure should be seen by a specialist as soon as possible in order to ensure precise and early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. NICE recommends that referrals should be urgent, with patients being seen within two weeks if possible.

Answered by:
Jane Ellison (Conservative)
7 March 2016