Epilepsy

What is it?

Epilepsy is a condition that causes people to have repeated seizures. Epilepsy is relatively common, affecting just under half a million people in the UK. Epilepsy usually begins in childhood but can start at any age. Epileptic seizures can take a variety of forms from partial seizures which may simply affect the way that someone experiences taste or feelings, to loss of consciousness and twitching lasting several minutes.

Epilepsy can be caused as a result of injury to the brain but commonly there is no known cause.

How does it affect people?

In the majority of cases there is no cure for epilepsy but the seizures can be controlled by medication usually taken in tablet form.

Medication needs to be taken daily. Sometimes the medication can have unpleasant side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness and mood changes. Someone who is newly diagnosed with epilepsy may have to try different types of medication before they find a drug that works for them and has side effects that they can tolerate.

The majority of people with epilepsy can control their condition with medication and lead a normal lifestyle.

How is it treated?

The medication will usually prevent someone with epilepsy from having seizures and they are able to maintain a regular and consistent performance at work.

How might it affect work?

There are some job roles that people with epilepsy cannot do such as driving a heavy goods vehicle and there may be others that they should avoid such as working at heights or working with machinery that would not stop should they suddenly become unconscious.

Newly diagnosed individuals will not be able to drive any vehicle until the DVLA clear them to drive.

It should always be a consideration that someone with epilepsy could have a fit or seizure at work. If an employee informs you that they are epileptic then you should review the risk assessment for the employee’s job role and work tasks including the ability to drive safely, operate machinery or undertake other safety critical work. When reviewing the risk assessment you should take advice from Occupational Health. Many people who have epilepsy only have seizures at night whilst asleep. Others may be sufficiently well controlled not to require any adjustments at work.

It is important to ensure that on site First Aiders know how to deal with someone who is having an epileptic seizure. With the employees consent, employees may wish to inform the First Aiders if they have epilepsy.

What do I need to do as the Manager?

If someone has been off sick with epilepsy this may be because they have been newly diagnosed or following a seizure:

Discuss with your employee how their epilepsy affects them

Identify what tasks they can and cannot perform

It may be necessary to make some adjustments to their work to minimise the risk to themselves and others

Where these can be reasonably accommodated, you should modify their duties to enable them to continue at work

Points to Remember

Fit notes

If an employee produces a fit note indicating that they require modified duties, discuss this with them and consider if the modification recommended can be reasonably accommodated.

Job tasks and risk assessments

Review the risk assessment for the employee’s job role and work tasks including the ability to drive safely where required. Take into consideration any temporary modification that may be required to accommodate their reduced ability to undertake certain tasks.

General guidance

If you require further information, refer to the general advice on managing attendance.