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Help call for Parkinson's sufferers

Last Modified: 07 Apr 2008

People with Parkinson's disease do not always get access to specialist help, according to a poll.

Four in 10 have not spoken to a specialist nurse in the last year, the largest ever survey carried out on sufferers revealed.

And more than a quarter of those questioned with the disease have never talked to a Parkinson's disease nurse specialist (PDNS).

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

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

The survey also found that three in 10 people diagnosed with Parkinson's in the last year did not believe they were given clear information about their condition or medication at the time of diagnosis. Almost half (47%) said they still wanted more information.

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Scots Parkinson's sufferers 'missing out' on special care

SCOTS suffering from Parkinson's disease are "missing out" on adequate levels of care and support, a charity said yesterday.
A report by the Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) found three in ten people with the disease don't have access to specialist nurses. According to the study, securing the help of these nurses is the top priority for those with Parkinson's.

The PDS provides funding to help to set up Parkinson's disease nurse specialist positions and has spent over £8 million since 1994 establishing and supporting these nurses.

Andrew Sim, manager of the Scottish PDS branch, said: "Given this support, there is no excuse for any of the 10,000 people in Scotland with Parkinson's to be deprived of this key service."

The report comes on the eve of Parkinson's Awareness Week, a campaign run by the PDS. The group surveyed more than 770 people who either have the disease or care for someone with it.

<!-- Article End --> The full article contains 162 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Last Updated: 06 April 2008 9:42 PM