Professional Education

Education plays a key role in increasing professional knowledge about epilepsy as a treatable brain disorder and in reducing, or ultimately preventing, social exclusion of patients with epilepsy (1). Education is needed on multiple levels to reach all those involved in epilepsy management, including the patients themselves. Within the classic medical disciplines, new specialties have developed which try to cover not only medical, but also psychosocial, aspects of particular disorders, to ensure a higher quality of life for patients. Epilepsy has become a specialist field (within neurology) in its own right in several European countries. The management of epilepsy requires multidisciplinary cooperation between neurologists, paediatric neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical neurophysiologists, epilepsy nurses, social workers, neurosurgeons, neuropathologists and pharmacologists. Every member of the team needs special expertise in epilepsy. European countries have widely varying structures and systems for the provision of healthcare. There are differences in the balance between primary and secondary care, in the availability of specialised diagnostic facilities and epilepsy surgery, in the incorporation of psychosocial management and in the quality of training. However, the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy, and the type and range of medical problems that afflict the patients, are broadly similar throughout Europe. Epilepsy services and epilepsy centres are provided in many European countries. The consensus paper produced by the Commission of European Affairs (CEA) of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) (2) aims to provide common guidelines and standards in epilepsy management across Europe. Epilepsy management covers every aspect of the disorder from initial diagnosis to prognosis, treatment, long-term care, and rehabilitation. Psychosocial issues must be considered at every stage of the process. Some European countries have special training programmes in epilepsy for medical and paramedical personnel (e.g., the MSc course in epileptology at King’s College London, U.K., and the InterUniversity Diploma of Epileptology organised by the French League against Epilepsy). Teaching could be promoted by academic “epilepsy chairs” supervising official educational programmes. In the last 2 years, the European Epilepsy Academy (EUREPA), has become the main force behind epilepsy education (see laterw). EUREPA has an “epilepsy licence” programme under evaluation. EUROPEAN EPILEPSY ACADEMY (EUREPA)