Epilepsy Consortium Scotland Press Release
No Embargo: Tuesday 22 October 2013
MSPs Sign the Pledge
32 SNP MSPs have signed the Epilepsy Consortium Scotland’s pledge for equal access to care. Prominent supporters include the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Alex Neil and Public Health Minister Michael Matheson in backing a fair provision of services for the 54,000 people living with epilepsy across Scotland.
Epilepsy Consortium Scotland (ECS) Chair Allana Parker was encouraged that so many MSPs, including those on the Cross- Party Group on Epilepsy headed by Convener Kenneth Gibson, came by the ECS exhibition at the 2013 SNP conference to find out more about patchy services in parts of Scotland. Around 700 of each MSP’s constituents have or will develop epilepsy. So it is important to ensure that when people need to access epilepsy care there is parity in what’s available to them.
She remarked: “Eight people are newly diagnosed with epilepsy each and every day. For some, access to specialist clinicians and nurses is still a geographical lottery. This is why our members are currently mapping epilepsy services run by health, education, social care providers, and the third sector. Details of postcode gaps will be passed to the Scottish Government and joint working agencies so that we can assist them to redress this situation.”
ENDS
Notes to editor
- The Epilepsy Consortium Scotland (ECS) is a collaboration of organisations and individuals in Scotland coming together to highlight epilepsy issues. It has been developed to inform the Scottish Government and other policy makers about areas of concern around health, social care and related public policy matters. ECS acts as a collective voice for the wider epilepsy community in Scotland. Current membership details at W: www.epilepsyconsortiumscotland.co.uk
- Photos of ECS exhibition representatives with MSPs include Katherine Harvie (Epilepsy Connections), Allana Parker (Epilepsy Scotland) and Helen MacDonald (Lanarkshire Epilepsy Support Group). For more details contact: Allana Parker, Chair: 0141 419 1701, M: 07884 012 147, E:enquiries@epilepsyconsortiumscotland.co.uk