Telling prison staff about your epilepsy

If you have epilepsy, you should tell prison staff. This is so that they can help you. Think about your answers to the questions below, to give to staff.

Tell staff about your epilepsy

• Do you still have seizures?
• If so, what happens to you when you have a seizure?
• Are there any signs you are about to have a seizure?
• How should staff help you if you have a seizure?
• How long do the seizures usually last?
• Is there a time your seizures usually happen? For example, first thing in the morning or during your sleep? (Although most people don’t have a particular pattern to their seizures.)
• How long does it usually take you to get back to normal after a seizure?
• Do the seizures stop on their own or do you need emergency treatment?

Tell staff about your treatment

• What are the names of any medicines you take?
• When do you have to take them?
• How much do you have to take at a time?
• Who has been treating you?

Some of these people may be able to help you.

• Personal Officer. If you have one, this is the first person to ask for help and advice. Not all prisoners are given a Personal Officer.
• Wing or Landing Officer. If you don’t have a Personal Officer there will be an officer in charge of the wing or landing you are on.
• Disability Liaison Officer (DLO). They know a lot about how to look after disabled prisoners. Epilepsy is counted as a disability. You can ask your Personal Officer or the Wing or Landing Officer if you can see the DLO.
• Prison nurse.
• The doctor.
• Epilepsy nurse. Some prisons have visits from epilepsy nurses. You can ask the prison nurse about this.
• Listeners or Buddies. These are other inmates who are specially trained to give support to fellow inmates.
• Epilepsy Action. Prisoners can write to us for advice about their epilepsy. Our address is FREEPOST LS0 995, Leeds LS19 7YY.