Epilepsy Action is delighted with today’s announcement that four surgical centres have been named to provide specialist paediatric epilepsy surgery across England.
Bristol Royal Infirmary, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Manchester/Alder Hey have been named by the Department of Health. The hospitals will carry out all operations on children suitable for surgery with difficult to control epilepsy.
Epilepsy Action has been discussing paediatric epilepsy surgery (surgery for people under 18) in England with the Department of Health for some time. The charity has been instrumental in developing the new services to ensure paediatric epilepsy surgery is available in sufficient numbers and with excellent quality across England.
Epilepsy Action’s deputy chief executive, Simon Wigglesworth, said: “Paediatric epilepsy surgery has been poorly provided for over recent years. Surgery can radically improve the lives of young people and, in many cases, cure their epilepsy. These specialist centres will ensure that more children with epilepsy receive the surgery and quality care they need.
“We’re delighted with today’s announcement as it will increase the number of operations being carried out. This decision means that by 2015-16 around 350 children each year will benefit from surgical expertise which could significantly impact on their quality of lives.
“We would strongly encourage those responsible for the care of children with difficult to control epilepsy to evaluate their patients and consider whether they may be suitable for surgery and refer them to the new centres for assessment. There is strong evidence that the sooner the surgery is performed the better the long term outcome for the child’s development. This announcement makes that life changing treatment available to more children.”
“Of course not all children with epilepsy can benefit from surgery as their epilepsy has a cause that cannot be treated by surgery. For those who can, however, this decision could have a major impact.”
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