Welcome

Join us for this year's Ladies Lunch and Fashion Show with a difference on Sunday 7 November 2010, Firhill Stadium, Glasgow.
Come and give Carrie & Co a run for their money at this glamorous and exclusive event with delicious food by Guy’s Restaurant, gorgeous fashion and the chance to win some fabulous prizes. Click here for more information.

Join us for Epilepsy Scotland’s eighth annual Art Extravaganza which is returning once again to the Glasgow Art Club. Featuring over 50 of the finest artists working across Scotland and works including landscapes, portraits, seascapes, oil, acrylic, abstract and many more, this is an event not to be missed. For more details click here.

This August we are phoning thousands of people across the length and breadth of central Scotland asking if they will take a home money box, save their small change and support our work. A very big THANK YOU if you are one of the people who have agreed to take a box and donate towards our work. For more details click here.

Don't miss your chance to win a fabulous New Astra 1.4 Active and help support Bighearted Scotland. For more information on how to win this exciting prize, donated by Peter Vardy, click here.

First photo: MSPs support for National Epilepsy Week 2010

Second photo: First Minister Alex Salmond joins Epilepsy Scotland Communications Manager Allana Parker and Annabel Goldie MSP

Big Brother runner up Mikey Hughes has launched our new Braille helpline card. For your free copy call our helpline 0808 800 2200,
email: enquiries@epilepsyscotland.org.uk
or text 07786 209 501.

Click here for more details or view the press release.

It's holiday time and many people with epilepsy are trying to find affordable travel insurance. Epilepsy Scotland would like to hear from you if you have had difficulties with travel, or any other kind of insurance. Have you ever been turned down completely by an insurer because of your epilepsy? Do you feel like you have been charged a fortune for insurance? If you have an experience to share, please contact us at enquiries@epilepsyscotland.org.uk on our helpline 0808 800 2200, by text 07786 209 501 or why not share with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Do you feel creative? Have you been touched by epilepsy and want to share your experiences with others? We are running a competition inviting people to create animated cartoons. There is a £50 prize for the winning entry and we will put our favorite cartoon on our website. Click here for more information.

Click here to read an online copy. We are also interested to hear your views about our newsletter. Please take a few moments to fill in this survey. We appreciate your comments and these will help us to make the newsletter even better.

Dunblane teenage model Rosie Gilmour is Epilepsy Scotland's new ambassador. We are delighted that she has agreed to help us raise epilepsy awareness. Read her story about living with epilepsy here. Rosie's first event is to promote Glasgow Taxis Limited whose drivers are using the free epilepsy first aid card we provided. This card in the cab visor can help drivers to help a passenger taking a seizure. View the press release here

Epilepsy Scotland works to achieve high standards in everything that we do. In 2008-09 Quality Scotland recognised us as an 'Ambassador for Excellence'. We are now members of Quality Scotland and are aiming for the award of 'Committed to Excellence' in 2010. Please click here for more information.

Writer Fiona Duffy has collected Epilepsy Scotland's Journalist of the Year award for her prize-winning article in the Scottish Daily Mirror on poor epilepsy services. Read the press release here.

The first downloadable DVD resource to explain what life is like for people using epilepsy medication is available from Monday 1 March on YouTube.  Entitled ‘Taking the tablets’, this new DVD answers many common questions that newly-diagnosed individuals want to know about anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).  Click here to watch the DVD or view the press release.

Some recent newspaper reports have said that there may be a shortage of some medication, including anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Some stories have specifically mentioned a problem with Keppra.

Epilepsy Scotland wants to reassure people that we have spoken to UCB, who make Keppra, and they have assured us that there is no shortage of the drug, however, there have been isolated cases where distribution has been a problem. Epilepsy Scotland has only been contacted by one person who has had this problem. We always advise that people pick up their prescriptions in plenty of time in case there is ever a problem with their medicine. If your AED is not available, your pharmacist can order it directly from the distributor. If you are in any doubt, contact your GP or call your Epilepsy Specialist Nurse.

Coming up in October, two new conferences on the Ketogenic diet organised by Matthews Friends. Please click here for more information.

Strathclyde police officers may know how to use tasers but do they know how to recognise someone having a seizure? We are concerned that police officers without epilepsy awareness training could mistakenly discharge a taser which then triggers a seizure. View our press release.

This great FREE resource lets you record your seizures and medication details online. Seizure Tracker can also easily turn this information into detailed reports and graphs. This means that you can see clearly how your seizures are responding to medication. The reports could be accessed online by your consultant or you can print them out to take with you to your consultation. One caller told us that they thought there was no improvement using a different anti-epileptic drug (AED) until he looked at the report. He then realised that there was an improvement and was able to clearly show this to the consultant. It's an easy resource to use and you can find it at: http://www.seizuretracker.com

Please click here. for more information.

Pharma company Eisai have launched a new anti-epileptic drug, Zebinix (eslicarbazepine acetate). For more information, please click here.

From 2010, pharmacists across the UK may be allowed to change the brand of drug named on a prescription and replace it with a different, generic brand. We are calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that people with epilepsy are not automatically switched to generic medication. Generic brands have to follow 'bioequivalence' rules but these allow the amount of active ingredient to vary. Epilepsy Scotland advocates that people with epilepsy should have consistent prescribing and continue to receive the same anti-epileptic drug(s) they are currently prescribed. It seems the Scottish Government accepts this view for some epilepsy drugs. Please click here for more information.

If you have had a single seizure, there is some good news for drivers.
Click here for more information.

Mobile users can text their questions to us on 07786 209 501. This new way to get information is also aimed at younger people. You can find out more about the launch of the new service on our Press release. Read about our helpline policies here Helpline policies

Have you tried three or more anti-epileptic drugs ? Are you unsuitable for surgery ? If so, Epilepsy Scotland would like to know if Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) has been discussed with you as a treatment option.

Yes

No

Find out more

Employers have the opportunity to apply for a Best Practice Certificate. The Certificate shows the organisation has policies in place for recruiting and supporting someone with epilepsy more info >>

The Scottish Parliament and Glasgow IT firm, Russell Hamilton Business Systems Limited are champion employers and 2009 award winners (more info and press release)