Plea for Better Help Over Parkinson’s

People with Parkinson’s disease do not always get access to specialist help, it is being claimed.

Four in 10 have not spoken to a specialist nurse in the last year, the largest-yet survey of sufferers revealed.

More than a quarter of those questioned who have the disease have never talked to a Parkinson’s disease nurse specialist.

This is despite the fact the nurses offer vital support and can help people to manage their symptoms, the Parkinson’s Disease Society says today.

Around 120,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s, a neurological disorder which can affect speech and movement.

The charity carried out a survey of UK patients to launch Parkinson’s Awareness Week.

It also found that three in 10 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the past year did not believe they were given clear information about their condition or medication at the time of diagnosis.

And 47 per cent said they still wanted more information.

The charity said that, while there is a trend towards more people being diagnosed by a specialist, one in five people were still diagnosed by their GP in the last year.

Access to therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy is improving but most patients are still not being assessed for or receiving therapies to help them manage their condition.

Steve Ford, chief executive of the Parkinson’s Disease Society, said: “Specialist care is vital for people with Parkinson’s and our survey reveals that whilst there have been a number of improvements across the UK, many people are still being let down by their local services from the time of diagnosis onwards.

“There is an urgent need to improve services so that every person with Parkinson’s gets access to the expert help they need.”

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