WORKING with someone who has a serious illness can be worrying for colleagues concerned about what they should do if the person falls sick. But workplaces are now showing they can adapt to support staff with conditions that require everyone to be vigilant to look after their health.
Epilepsy Scotland has begun rewarding employers who go out of their way to look after workers with epilepsy. Among the winners are the Scottish Parliament, which has three staff with epilepsy, including Mary Nicol, head of HR strategy and policy.
She had her first seizure aged 39, but did not experience another until she was 48, when she was finally diagnosed with epilepsy – just weeks before she started work at Holyrood.
The Scottish Parliament helped out by making sure the lighting in the room where Ms Nicol worked was altered to reduce the chances of her having a seizure at work. She is also allowed to work flexible hours and work from home one day a week to help manage her condition.
Her work colleagues also keep an eye on how she is doing and if she is late into the office, someone will ring her to make sure she is fine.
Ms Nicol, 56, said: "I got a real shock when I was first diagnosed. But I was determined to be as open about it as possible.
"I am fortunate the Parliament has gone out of its way to help and listened to suggestions about things I can do and they can do to support me .
"What I really appreciate is that the people I work with are not always looking for things being wrong with me. They treat me the same as everyone else but still know exactly what to do if I have seizure. That gives me a lot of comfort."
Ms Nicol said there was still some stigma about epilepsy and that may be due to the fact that people still do not know enough about it: "I am just pleased there is far more openness now and that more people are talking about it and educating others on what it is and how others can help if someone has a seizure, which could ultimately save a person's life."
Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder in the world. In Scotland, one in 130 people have the disorder.
Ms Nicol is on medication to control her seizures but they do occasionally happen. This results in her falling to the ground unconscious and jerking and swaying for about five minutes.
If she has a seizure at work, a colleague will contact a member of her family and someone will accompany her home and wait until someone is there to look after her.
Epilepsy Scotland also rewarded Glasgow firm Russell Hamilton Business Systems for their support for epileptic staff.
The firm has just 11 employees, and went out of its way to support employee Lee McNulty and his family.
Director David Irving said: "We knew nothing about epilepsy but Lee was the outstanding candidate for the job. We gave him a flat screen monitor, laptop and broadband. We arranged lifts to take him to clients when he couldn't drive. Home working and flexible hours are available when he has a seizure and staff know how to help him."
Lesslie Young, Epilepsy Scotland's chief executive, said they found many employers who had made efforts to support staff, adding: "Epilepsy is no longer a barrier in the workplace."
