NHS England has announced it will roll out a new laser-beam therapy to help reduce seizures for patients with epilepsy.

Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy uses a fibre-optic laser to target the part of the brain causing seizures without the need for surgery.

The treatment will be rolled out for eligible patients in England from June, at King’s College Hospital in London and The Walton Centre in Liverpool, which will act as specialist national hubs.

The treatment involves drilling a tiny hole to allow a 1.5mm-wide probe with a fibre optic laser at the tip to be inserted into the skull. This reaches and destroys the epilepsy-causing brain tissue from the inside by heating it.

The clinical team use an MRI scanner to navigate the brain and avoid blood vessels.

Patients will be able to go home the next day, as the wound heals quickly and there is a minimal risk of infection.

It is estimated that around 50 people a year will be eligible for the treatment.

James Palmer, NHS England’s medical director for specialised services and a consultant neurosurgeon, said: “This laser beam therapy is game-changing for patients and will offer new hope on the NHS to those for whom standard drugs are not effective in controlling their seizures.

“Not only will this world-leading technology help replace invasive surgery for patients, which can have a huge impact take months to recover from, it will also allow clinicians to better target the parts of the brain causing the epilepsy, which dramatically reduces the risks and helps cut patients’ recovery time both in and out of hospital.

“This pioneering new national service is the latest example of the NHS delivering on the Long Term Plan commitment to ensure patients across the country have access to the latest and most effective treatments to help significantly improve their quality of life.”

Andrew Stephenson, minister of state for health, said: “We are determined to support people with epilepsy and their families. Epilepsy can be a very difficult condition to live with, both for patients and for those around them.

“This groundbreaking new treatment will change the lives of those with severe epilepsy, improving quality of life and providing much-needed assurance.”