The ‘All Wales Adult First Seizure and Epilepsy Management Pathway’ was launched at the Senedd in Cardiff on 8 December 2021.
MS Jack Sargeant launched the pathway to an audience including consultant neurologists and epilepsy specialist nurses (ESNs).
The clinical pathway was developed by the Epilepsy Task and Finish Group and the Neurological Conditions Implementation Group in September 2020 to help structure and navigate care for people with epilepsy. The groups comprise clinicians and charity representatives, including from Epilepsy Action.
The pathway is a system designed to improve access to epilepsy services in Wales, and reduce variation of services across the country. It will also serve to improve experiences and outcomes for people with epilepsy, as well as promote and support self care and independence, and improve mental health and wellbeing.
The new pathway is also aiming to increase public awareness of epilepsy, and help to make more efficient use of resources available in Wales. It was developed for use by GPs and in emergency departments, for people with epilepsy diagnoses as well as those who are first starting to have seizures.
The launch of the epilepsy pathway follows recent news that there is a lack of ESNs in Wales as a whole, and the ones in post are not evenly spread across the country.