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National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) has been in existence for well
over a hundred years. It is a charitable organisation managed and
run by a Company limited by guarantee. In 1892 it acquired Skippings
Farm at Chalfont Common and has remained there since. Only a fraction
of the farmland has been built on in the last century. The NSE's layout
is open-plan, with many single-story buildings interspersed with lawns
and wooded areas. |
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There
are a number of governors who control the NSE. These are the Directors
(in the normal use of the title) of the NSE. A management
team (headed by Mr Graham Faulkner) under
the Governors is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
organisation. The present management team is relatively new, with
several key members joining since 2000.
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NSE operates in several areas connected with epilepsy, e.g. residential
care, employment of epileptics (for which Skippings Farm was bequeathed
to them), research, outpatient centre and advisory services. The number
of residents is presently (Mar 2004) around 220. The NSE has a strong
relationship with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
(NHNN) in central London, where much research and development into
epilepsy is conducted, along with treatment. |
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of the NSE's charges are semi-hospitalised. In February 2004 the NSE
submitted a planning application to redevelop its Queen Elizabeth
Medical Centre. It seems the NSE is performing serious hospital treatment
and services, the cost of which would normally fall upon the NHS.
It is not clear from the NSE's information if the NHS contributes
to the NSE on an annual basis and/or will be contributing to the capital
care home (hospital) replacement scheme. |
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NSE and local community have, until the NSE's announcement about the
large-scale building proposal, enjoyed a relatively close relationship
with many local residents using the farm shop and placing their children
in the Lakeman Hall nursery in the centre of the NSE's premises. The
NSE also lets out one of its halls for social functions, shows and
every so often for use as a voting station. Until a couple
of years ago, there was a Farm Shop run for the mutual benefit for
the NSE and the local community. |
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