Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to reduce waiting times for urgent referrals of epilepsy patients.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance 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 on the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with epilepsy. The NICE guidance recommends that people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist, with patients being seen within two weeks if possible.

Local organisations should consider NICE guidance when planning services for resident populations. We expect patients to receive the most clinically appropriate care at the right time in the most appropriate setting. Clinical priority is, and remains, the main determinant of when patients should be seen or treated as appropriate.