UK government's epilepsy action plan “fundamentally flawed”

The UK government's initiative to improve services for people with epilepsy in England has been roundly criticised by epilepsy charities and clinicians for failing to target a reduction in avoidable deaths and to provide the funds to underpin the proposals.

The Joint Epilepsy Council, representing 23 epilepsy charities, has described the action plan as “fundamentally flawed,” adding that it is “unlikely to deliver any significant improvement in care for people with epilepsy.”

The Department of Health plan, which was issued last week— six months late— was prompted by a national epilepsy audit in May last year showing an …