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The trustees of the National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) have agreed the priorities for the charity's future. This follows the recent consultation with key stakeholders including staff, residents and the local community.

The consultation found that:

• 72% of people said they believed NSE should continue to provide residential and nursing care at Chalfont
• 60% said they believed NSE should be developing community based services
• 90% said medical research to find seizure freedom for all should either be NSE's exclusive area of work (11%) or a high priority (79%)
• 79% said NSE should continue to provide information services such as the helpline and EIN service
• 64% said NSE should sell off some of its land assets if necessary to fund its future plan.

In the light of these findings, NSE is committed to staying at Chalfont where residential care will be refocused towards people with learning disabilities as well as epilepsy. The number of care beds offered will be reduced from the current 200 beds to 80 by 2011. In tandem, in line with current government thinking, the charity aims to develop more community-based services. The aim is to give greater choice for people living with learning disabilities and epilepsy.

Chief Executive Graham Faulkner said:

"We plan to have a smaller number of care homes at the Chalfont Centre, with people living in small groups. We will explore all opportunities for loans and fundraising to fund this development, but if these don't generate sufficient funds within a reasonable time scale surplus buildings may be sold."

Research will remain a high priority for the charity, with a vision of achieving seizure freedom. This will include the launch of a major new £5 million epilepsy genetics appeal. The charity is already undertaking groundbreaking genetics research to improve diagnosis, treatment and understanding of epilepsy. The new appeal will take this work forward in a new world-class genetics laboratory.

Mr Faulkner said:

"Getting the funding right will be central to our plans, but so too will be getting the planning permission for new build. We recognise the opposition to our previous redevelopment plans, and are now committed to securing our future with the least disruption to the local community. We hope to work with the local community and with the planning authorities to ensure that any new build is acceptable before putting forward planning applications."

Other priorities include seeking partnerships with other organisations to avoid duplication of services, increased commitment to working with other organisations through the work of the Joint Epilepsy Council and a commitment to increase fundraised income over the next five years.

In agreeing these priorities for the future, the trustees have taken full account of the opinions expressed in the recent consultation. More than 3000 consultation documents were distributed. Over 550 replies were received. The priorities will now be incorporated into a revised strategic plan for the next five years (2006-2011), which will be published shortly.

The consultation was the second stage of a major review of all the charity's areas of operation. This followed November's announcement that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's had dismissed our redevelopment appeal. The decision led to the formation of a strategic review group that was tasked with examining the value and benefit of all NSE's operations. The consultation document was based on the findings of this review group.

The consultation document went to an extensive list of stakeholders including local authorities, NSE members and associate member, CSCI, staff, service users, trades unions, health authorities, GPs, NSE parents and friends and elected representatives of the local community including MPs and local county, district and parish councillors. It was also available on the Internet.

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October 2006