Stevenson Signs Epilepsy Pledge

Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has signed the Epilepsy Consortium Scotland’s pledge for equal access to care. Stewart joins fellow SNP MSP supporters, including the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Alex Neil and Public Health Minister Michael Matheson in backing a fair provision of services for the 54,000 people living with epilepsy across Scotland.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson said:

“Around 700 of my constituents have or will develop epilepsy. It is important to ensure that when people need to access epilepsy care there is parity in what’s available to them.”

Epilepsy Consortium Scotland (ECS) Chair Allana Parker was encouraged that so many MSPs, including those on the Cross-Party Group on Epilepsy headed by Convener Kenneth Gibson, came by the ECS exhibition at the 2013 SNP conference to find out more about patchy services in parts of Scotland.

She remarked:

“Eight people are newly diagnosed with epilepsy each and every day. For some, access to specialist clinicians and nurses is still a geographical lottery. This is why our members are currently mapping epilepsy services run by health, education, social care providers, and the third sector. Details of postcode gaps will be passed to the Scottish Government and joint working agencies so that we can assist them to redress this situation.”