NSE : What's new : National Epilepsy Week

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What's new: National epilepsy week

National epilepsy week 2008: 18th to 24th May

This year's national epilepsy week aims to raise awareness.

Show your support for NSE's Stamp On Stigma campaign in National Epilepsy Week. Read the facts and then sign up to register your support.

The Joint Epilepsy Council encourages you to mark national epilepsy week by lobbying your local MP. Write to your local MP to tell them about the barriers which people with epilepsy face and to request a meeting with them. Download the local lobbying toolkit (pdf) to find out more.

National epilepsy week 2007: 20th to 26th May
Epilepsy and employment: Able, not a label

Survey highlights major employment issues for people with epilepsy

People with epilepsy are getting a raw deal from some employers - according to a survey carried out among NSE's associate members for national epilepsy week.

Around a quarter of people with epilepsy claimed to have lost their job because of their epilepsy and almost three quarters said their career had been affected by the condition.

More than 40 percent felt they had been unfairly treated by their employer even though employers have a duty under the Disability Discrimination Act to make 'reasonable adjustments' to enable someone to work.

Only around a third of those who responded thought their employer would know what sort of reasonable adjustments they should be making. Those adjustments might include recording periods of sick leave separately to time away from work that is connected directly to epilepsy or might include allowing time and a suitable place for someone to recover after a seizure.

Many others, almost 40 per cent, felt they hadn't been successful at job interviews because they had mentioned their epilepsy.

More than 80 per cent of those surveyed were of employable age. More than three quarters said they would like their colleagues to be more understanding.

NSE's clear message is that people with epilepsy can and do make excellent employees. Employers just need to give them a chance.

Did you know?

Most jobs are open to people with epilepsy in the UK, with the exception of those in the armed services.
Legally people with epilepsy cannot be treated unfairly by an employer because of their disability - disability discrimination act 1995.
Training and information on epilepsy awareness and first aid is available from NSE for employers and their employees.

Download posters

Previous national epilepsy week campaigns

Read our information on epilepsy and employment

National epilepsy week poster

Download posters

The messages above are positive messages, and we need your help getting them across!

You can download posters for display here. The posters don't mention national epilepsy week on them, so you use them to raise awareness at any time.

Poster 1: It's bad enough that our jobs can label us - 'boring' accountant, 'nerdy' IT consultant, 'gossipy' hairdresser. So why make epilepsy another label? NSE wants to live in a world where employers always see their employees as individuals, with distinct skills, talents and strengths.
Download poster 1 as a pdf (89KB)

Poster 2: When it comes to work, most jobs are open to people with epilepsy. NSE wants people to be seen in terms of their individual skills and potential, not as 'walking health conditions'.
Download poster 2 as a pdf (454KB)

If you'd prefer us to send you these posters, please phone us on 01494 601392.

National epilepsy week 2006

The theme of national epilepsy week 2006 was children and young people.

NSE did a survey about the concerns faced by parents of children with epilepsy.
See the full survey results

Visit our new information page for young people with epilepsy - your epilepsy: now & next

Print posters for display

You can download our posters using the links below. They don't mention epilepsy week, so you can display whenever you like.

"You're not alone" poster (210KB) (about the helpline)

"Your epilepsy, our info" poster (304KB).

"Thumbs up!" text to donate poster (121KB).

These posters are in pdf format. How to read pdfs

National epilepsy week 2005

The theme for national epilepsy week 2005 was 'Epilepsy in later life'. NSE launched its new booklet, 'Epilepsy - Later Life', during the campaign.
Read new information on later life

National epilepsy week 2004

The theme for national epilepsy week in 2004 was epilepsy in primary care.

NSE commissioned a national survey of GPs in the run-up to epilepsy week, to find out what kind of service people with epilepsy are getting from their GP. Read the GP survey results

NSE also carried out a survey of its members, about how their epilepsy is managed by GPs.

Read the members' survey results
Make the most of your GP: checklist
Women and epilepsy checklist