The Prime Minister today met with Valerie Vaz MP for Walsall South, Laura Sandys MP for South Thanet, Professor Helen Cross and a party from the Joint Epilepsy Council. The group discussed the shortcomings in health and education services for people with epilepsy.
The Prime Minister agreed to consider Valerie Vaz's epilepsy Ten Minute Rule Bill and raise the issues discussed with the departments for health and education. In a positive meeting, he offered to help the Joint Epilepsy Council raise the profile of epilepsy and tackle the stigma still associated with the condition.
Valerie Vaz MP said: "We see this meeting as a turning point. The Prime Minister’s support is very valuable."
Simon Wigglesworth, Deputy Chief Executive of Epilepsy Action, said: "I was very encouraged by the Prime Minister's plans to look at the needs of people with epilepsy."
Prevous post on Bill 112 for epilepsy – second reading postponed
Comments: read the 1 comments or add yours
Comments
I'd like to thank valerie vaz m.p for walsall south, laura sandys m.p for south hanet, prof helen cross &a party from the Joint Epilepsy Council for there efforts on our help with epilepsy discrimination but this amounts to a very small fraction in the help we need & will be swept under the carpet by the P.M david cameron & the goverment as soon as the photo was taken.
I hate to say it but everyone is continually blinded by the promises made by the goverment & all the countries in the E.U.
The disability discrimination act 2010, was amended & re introduced to protect our rights, we'll i'm afraid people like myself & yourselves with epilepsy are continually discrimated against, treated like lepers & third class citizens, you may argue, protest at my reply to this article with the p.m.
But before you write a reply to my comments, sit back & think about it, we're discriminated against in employment, i was a HGV class C driver but only had 2 seizures, 1 in jan 2005, the 2nd & last seizure i've ever had, i was put on medication lamotrigine 100mg twice a day & my condition has been safely controlled ever since.
I got my car & motorbike licence back in 2006, i want to be a driver again, driving a 3.5 tonne van again but because of the enormous cost in insuring a person with epilepsy, even if mine has been safely cotrolled for nearly 7 years, it's nearly 10 times as much to insure me as a person without any medical condition, a diabetic type 1 or type 2 is only a small amunt of an increase but mostly it's the same as a person without a medical condition.
Until people with epilepsy really try & put pressure on the goverment then nothing will ever change.
The EU & DVLA have amended the HGV medical standards for people wanting to learn & drive HGV, they've made it a lot easier for diabetics type 1 & type 2 to be able to be a HGV driver & get back to work.
We were only included by name only to prevent anyone taking the DVLA to court on discrimination, there were no changes to our medical standards.
I'd like any M.P to fight for people like myself with medical controlled epilepsy, why i don't have the same right to an individual medical assessment whilst on medication to get them to prove i pose more of a risk than people with diabetes type 1 & type 2 ?.
Diabetics type 1 & type 2 can develope any of over 20 complications to there health, T.I.A & can have a seizure due to very low blood sugar, strokes, liver & kidney disease, glaucoma & retinopathy.
People with epilepsy complications, short term memory loss ( might forget something ) minor problem, could have a seizure & the other one S.U.D ( sudden death syndrome ), peolpe don't realise is that diabetics can also develope S.U.D.
ARE PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ?, ARE WE TREATED FAIRLY WHEN APPLYING FOR A JOB ?, IS OUR HOUSE & CAR INSURANCE DEALT WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION TO OUR DIASBILITY BY INSURANCE COMPANIES ?, DO THE EU & BRITISH GOVERMENT TREAT US WITH THE SAME RESPECT, DIGINITY & FAIRNESS THAT BEING A HUMAN BEING ?.
IF YOU THINK YES WE ARE THEN YOU ARE TRULLY BLINDED BY THE BROKEN PROMISES & WORDS OF THOSE PUT IN POWER TO PROTECT US.
WE ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST EVERY HOUR, DAY WEEK, MONTH & YEAR OF OUR LIVES !!! .
Epilepsy societies, forums & help organisations around the world do try but the only way anything will ever be done is if every person in the EU with epilepsy voice there anger our continual discrimination & people in power by us to protect us & ignore our pleas for help.
I urge everyone go to or contact your local m.p or m.e.p & start fighting back for yor rights, your parents rights & your childrens rights to a fair & just quality of life !!!!.
With that i wish your all good day.
Paul Hendley