63 per cent of workers are unsure of what to do in the event of a colleague having an epileptic seizure, according to a new YouGov survey.

The study probed the thoughts of some 2,000 adults, and found that three quarters of those surveyed had not been offered any training on how to deal with epileptic seizures at work.

In fact, only one in six people told YouGov that they would know how to deal with the situation.

The results highlight the need for increased epilepsy training in the workplace, to raise awareness of what to do in the event of an epileptic seizure.

Dr Dominic Heaney, consultant neurologist at University College London, said: “There is a lack of knowledge about epilepsy among the general public and about what epilepsy means and doesn’t mean. People are unaware of the right actions if somebody has a seizure, or even what a seizure may look like.

“Seizures can present in many different ways, so it is important that people know how to recognise them and what to do to give the best help possible.”