Keep your cool – staying safe in the heat
A survey* carried out by the Epilepsy Society showed that 62 per cent of people with uncontrolled seizures experience an increase in their seizure activity during unusually hot weather.
It is important to make sure that you take sensible precautions to ensure that you stay cool, particularly if you know your epilepsy is sensitive to the heat. Here are a few tips that may help:
Valproate safety material and warning about risk to babies’ birth weight
Updated safety and educational materials have been published for the anti-seizure medication valproate*.
Patients to receive appointment reminders, screening invitations and test results through the NHS app
As part of the reforms to the NHS, millions more patients will receive appointments, screening invitations and other important information directly via the NHS App as part of the digital-first upgrade.
Medications, epilepsy and climate change: the need for action
As we continue to experience increasingly hot summers, researchers warn that commonly prescribed anti-seizure medications could be affected by the heat. And they are calling for further studies to better understand what measures could be taken to prevent medications degrading.
Government announces new urgent and emergency care plan
Under the new Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for England announced today, the government has promised that patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as it sets out reforms to shorten waiting times and tackle persistently failing trusts.
Rubgy balls and chocolate bars raise awareness of epilepsy in the corridors of power
Our exhibition in the House of Commons for National Epilepsy Week has really pushed epilepsy up the political agenda. We held a reception last Wednesday 21 May with guest speakers including the rugby player Tommy Freeman, Rosie Wrighting MP and an impromptu speech from Lord Heyward, who was so inspired by our work that he wanted to speak.