scotPHO introduction:
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  Epilepsy
  Key points
  Introduction
  Risk factors
  Policy context
  Data
Key data sources
  Key references
  Useful links
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Epilepsy: key data sources

GROS

Data on deaths come from the system for certification administered by the General Register Office for Scotland.
GROS Death Data 2004  Excel file icon (1.22 MB) (data in line 635 of the table)

Practice Team Information (formerly Continuous Morbidity Recording)

Participating practices collect detailed Read-coded information on the reasons for consultations with members of primary care teams (GPs, nurses and health visitors). The practices are broadly representative of all practices in Scotland, but the numbers are too small to allow Health Board level estimates. Further information is available from the PTI website. These data represent the proportion of people with a condition attending the GP and other members of the practice team. They do not represent the total prevalence therefore as not all people with epilepsy attend their general practice within any one year.

ISD's Practice Team Information (PTI)

QOF (nGMS) data

The Quality and Outcomes Framework for the new GMS (General Medical Services) contract provides an estimate of the number of people with epilepsy known to each practice .

Quality and Outcome Framework prevalence data (follow information link on the left of the page)

Hospital discharge data

Statistics on hospital admissions for epilepsy are held in the Scottish Morbidity Record (SMR) databases. These data are likely to substantially under-represent the prevalence of epilepsy, as not everyone with epilepsy needs to be admitted to hospital.

Data Quality in the SMR databases 

Prescribing data

Each prescription issued is recorded, and these data are collected and analysed by ISD. A limitation with regard to drawing conclusions about a epilepsy is that the drugs used in epilepsy can be used for other conditions as well.

Prescribing Data  Excel file icon (2.14MB) (See page 'Total for BNF Subsections': Control of Epilepsy - line 86)

Clinical Outcome Indicators

The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Clinical Outcomes Group has produced clinical outcome indicators for epilepsy (November 2003 - Emergency Admission for Epilepsy p58). It presents the proportion of patients having an emergency admission with a principal diagnosis of epilepsy.

QIS Outcome Indicators Report PDF Button (984kB)