EEG departments in Great Britain: a survey of practice

Guidelines have been published recently on when an electroencephalogram (EEG) should be undertaken and the expected waiting time for a routine EEG, but have not included recommendations on how an EEG should be undertaken or who should undertake and report EEGs. The purpose of this survey was to obtain background information on the composition and practice of EEG departments throughout Great Britain that might form the basis for additional recommendations and guidelines.

A postal questionnaire was sent to all EEG departments in Great Britain in 2001/2002; non-responders were sent a further copy of the questionnaire.

Fifty-two departments responded, representing a response rate of 48%. The reasons for this relatively poor response rate are not known. Findings indicated that a single doctor reported EEGs in 44% of all departments. The speciality of doctor reporting EEGs included neurophysiologists (59%), neurologists (22%), paediatric neurologists (PNs) (13%), psychiatrists (5%) and one general practitioner (GP). EEG recordists from 28 departments (54%) and medical staff in 21 departments (40%) stated that they had not received any formal training in, respectively, undertaking and reporting EEGs in children. In 29 departments (55%), medical staff report EEGs independently from the recordists. Fourteen departments (27%) undertake less than 500 EEGs per year. Ten of the 42 departments providing a paediatric service perform less than 100 paediatric EEGs per year. Eighteen (35%) and eight (15%) units have a waiting time of 2-4 and over 12 weeks, respectively, for a routine EEG.

This survey has identified a range of practice and operational procedures in 52 EEG departments throughout Great Britain. These findings may have implications on the investigation and management of people with non-epileptic seizures and epilepsy.