We live in a rural part of the U.K and apart from the fact that John's neurologist has to travel to our area on a monthly basis to see patients we are lucky in that we have a specialist P.D nurse. I think it is more to do with the way the U.K Health Service is funded. Travelling long distances, often on twisty roads, for specialist care and appointments is a problem in rural areas.
We have to remember that our Health Service,although most moan at it,is free at the point of delievery, so although provision is patchy nobody has poorer treatment because without they are of limited income. The care you receive in the NHS has nothing to do with income. Anyone can pay for private care by "going private." Often by going private you see the same consultant. If I had to have a major operation I would choose NHS over private even if I was a millionaire. The point is that this report is highlighting the fact that services, which are provided by a free Health Service are patchy.It is a good thing patchiness has been highlighted as now something might be done about bringing certain areas up to the standard of the best. I do not think that this patchiness in services provided by the NHS is unique to P.D.