EPILEPSY sufferers in Preston now have a dedicated service to help them cope and learn about the condition.

Specialist clinics are held six times a month by epileptologists Dr Phillip Tidswell and Dr Tahir Majeed at Royal Preston Hospital.

Sister Bev Kain has also joined the team as a specialist epilepsy nurse and helps both treat and educate about the illness. The role of the service is to enhance the care given to patients with epilepsy in both hospitals and GP's surgeries.

Dr Tidswell explained exactly how the surgeries operate: "The full service started up at the end of March and we hope patients will get a prompt and comprehensive management of their illness.

"We can help people with everything from medicines and the doses to take to making sure their housing and supervision needs are met."

Bev Kain added: "The aim of the service is that anyone with any form of epilepsy is referred here and we can check to see if they have the illness and offer advice to them.

"I can give patients quite a lot of information on epilepsy, including literature, and also on their lifestyle.

"I am also in contact with various support groups and can pass patients details of where and when they meet. We could deal with around 12,000 patients a year from the local area."

And patient Tracey Mills from Ashton, who suffers with non-epileptic attack disorder, gave the service a big thumbs up and said: "I think it's great that I can get in touch by telephone and ask questions that I usually forget when I see my consultant.

"The service is much more personal than phoning up an association to ask questions because they know about your specific illness."

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