Before referring epilepsy or seizure patients to the Neurology department, please follow the relevant referral guidance:
Patient is known by the Neurology department
A selection of frequently asked questions are available on the epilepsy FAQs page:
Clinical support for patients with an existing diagnosis of epilepsy should be available from their usual specialist team.
If a patient is not under the care of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), please contact their usual neurology team
If a patient is cared for by UHB, please email the Epilepsy Specialist Nursing Team and include the:
- hospital or NHS number
- name of the patient's neurologist
- current anti-seizure medication name, dose and frequency
Patient is known by the Neuropsychiatry Service or has an established diagnosis of non-epileptic attack disorder/dissociative seizures
UHB does not have a dedicated Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD) service.
If a patient has an established NEAD diagnosis, please refer them to the Neuropsychiatry Service at The Barberry:
The Epilepsy Team may be able to provide some support to patients under active follow up at UHB. Please contact the Epilepsy Specialist Nursing Team in the first instance.
If you suspect NEAD or dissociative seizures but the patient is not known by the Neurology department or the Neuropsychiatry Service, it is best to refer the patient via the first seizure pathway.
First seizure pathway referrals can be made using the A+G system, please see the 'how to make a good seizure referral' page for full details.
Patients with ongoing dissociative seizures must not drive and must inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Patients may drive if there have been no seizures for three months.
Patient is not known by the Neurology department or the Neuropsychiatry Service
If you suspect seizures but the patient is not known by the Neurology department or the Neuropsychiatry Service, it is best to refer the patient via the first seizure pathway.
First seizure pathway referrals can be made using the A+G system, please see the 'how to make a good seizure referral' page for full details.
Patient is new to the area or lost to follow up
For patients formerly under the care of a local neurology team, please contact the team directly to reinitiate a follow up.
Patients that are new to the area or have not been seen in more than five years will require a new referral through the A+R system.
Ideally, we require copies of as much correspondence as possible with the patient’s former neurology team. But if this is not available to you or the patient, please inform us:
- which hospital the patient was formerly treated at, and
- a rough date of when they were last seen
If a new referral is required, full details of how to do this are on the 'how to make a good seizure referral' page:
Patients presenting with any red flags will need to visit the Emergency Department.
Patients that are:
- relatively stable (no recent change in seizure frequency and less than two seizures a month) will be given a routine new patient appointment in approximately three months
- unstable will be seen urgently and within six weeks
Please remind patients that we require an account from someone who has witnessed the seizure if possible.
Last reviewed: 02 January 2024