GP Society for epilepsy

At the 2006 ILAE conference in Newcastle, the UK chapter of the ILAE formed a new society for GPs. This was created to formalise the work of an increasing number of British general practitioners involved in offering epilepsy care.

The society offers membership to all GPs with an interest in epilepsy care, either in their own practices or employed by PCTs or health boards as GPs with a special interest in epilepsy (GPSIE).

The purpose of the society is to offer a vehicle for members to learn from each other, to disseminate good practice and to act as a national organisation that can work with other professional bodies and health service strategists to enhance and improve community based epilepsy care.

The society will be affiliated to the group of primary care societies within the Royal College of General Practitioners. Some work has already been done. A competency framework for GPSIE has been drafted and approved by both the UK council ILAE and the RCGP. It is currently circulating for comments from members and other interested parties.

It is hoped to hold an educational meeting once a year and have an email distribution list for matters of interest. Anyone who wants to join should email Juliet Solomon at the ILAE secretariat.

The society would like to thank the ILAE president, Professor John Duncan for his support and Juliet Solomon for all her invaluable and hard work on behalf of the society.