Valerie Speak in Epilepsy Adjournment Debate.

On Tuesday 29 January 2013, Valerie Vaz spoke in an adjournment debate on the Governments support for people with epilepsy.

Speaking in the dabate Valerie said:

“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate, and I congratulate Epilepsy Action on producing the report. This is a wonderful opportunity to remind the Minister of my ten-minute rule Bill, in which I ask for two simple things. First, immediate referrals from GPs to specialists are needed. That is where the costs arise, both monetary costs and the cost in lives. If people can be referred directly to a specialist, they need not go through an interim stage to someone who is not a specialist. This covers a wide range of conditions, although it manifests itself as epilepsy, other related conditions might not manifest themselves at all, so anyone might have absences, and they need to know why. Secondly, we need an action plan for children in schools that is similar to that under the Autism Act 2009.”

The full transcript of Valerie’s speech is in Hansard here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130129/debtext/130129-0003.htm#13012952000220

Valerie’s 10 Minute Rule Bill, ‘Epilepsy and Related Conditions (Education and Health Services) Bill’, can be read here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2010-2011/0112/cbill_2010-20110112_en_1.htm