Epilepsy Specialist Nurses

EDM number 541 in 2006-07, proposed by John Battle on 19/12/2006.

That this House notes that epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition, affecting around 456,000 people in the UK, or on average more than 700 people in each constituency; notes with concern that annual avoidable deaths exceed 400 owing to historic poor provision of health services; values the excellent work done by the severely inadequate number of epilepsy specialist nurses throughout the UK, enabling many people with epilepsy to reduce or eliminate their call on other NHS resources, leading to substantial and demonstrable financial savings in the short, medium and long-term, and reducing waiting lists for neurologists; further notes that currently more than 10 per cent. of epilepsy specialist nurses are under threat of redundancy, reduced working hours or assignment to non-specialist duties; further notes the Government's recognition of the important role of specialist nurses and its stated desire to see an increase in their number; and strongly encourages the Government to take steps to ensure that their policies as clearly set out in the National Service Framework for Long Term Neurological Conditions and the recent White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say are effectively implemented at local level.

This motion has been signed by a total of 207 MPs, 5 of these signatures have been withdrawn.