Parkinson's Disease Society Welcomes New Clinical Guideline But Calls For Its Implementation, UK

Main Category: Parkinson's Disease
Article Date: 30 Jun 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS) today welcomes the NICE (National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) Guideline on the diagnosis and management of Parkinson's disease, but calls for the Government to take action now to make it a reality. The PDS today airs its concerns over two priority areas from the Guideline: GP behaviour over diagnosis and treatment and the current instability of Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist posts within the insecure NHS financial climate.

Although the NICE Guideline recommends that suspected cases of Parkinson's should be referred untreated to a specialist, findings from a survey carried out by the PDS show that this is not happening everywhere. The survey of 203 GPs found that nearly:

-- One in five do not refer people with suspected Parkinson's to a specialist, but instead initiate the treatment of patients themselves.

-- One in four GPs change medication without referral back to a specialist.

-- This contrasts with the fact that over nine out of ten GPs admit to having no specialist knowledge of the condition.

Robert Meadowcroft, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Information at the Parkinson's Disease Society said: "Receiving an accurate diagnosis and getting treatment from a specialist is the first step to someone with Parkinson's being able to continue living their life to the full. The PDS is deeply concerned that some people with Parkinson's are never referred to a specialist but are instead treated by people who don't have an indepth understanding of this complex condition. It's vitally important that Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) urgently review the training of GPs in this area to ensure that GPs are able to recognise Parkinson's symptoms more quickly and refer their patients immediately to a specialist."

Another area of the NICE Guideline that has been warmly welcomed by the PDS is the endorsement of the important role Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists play in monitoring and adjusting medication, acting as a continuous point of contact for support and being a reliable source of information about clinical and social matters of concern.

Robert Meadowcroft said: "We're delighted that NICE has recognised the role of specialist Parkinson's nurses, as these nurses have a hugely positive impact on the lives of people with Parkinson's, helping them to take control of their condition from the start."

The PDS is concerned about the future of these posts as there have been a number of worrying developments across England and Wales. Several hospitals have recently asked their specialist Parkinson's nurse to go onto a general ward a number of days a week, reducing the amount of time a nurse has available to help people with Parkinson's keep their condition under control. The future of one specialist Parkinson's nurse service is under serious threat as the trust involved is reviewing the post at the moment, despite the NICE Guideline.

Robert Meadowcroft said: "We want the Government to insist that every area has a specialist Parkinson's nurse. These are not "nice to have" positions, but are essential to bringing huge improvements to the every day lives of people with Parkinson's, and vital to making the Guideline a reality."

To find out more visit:
NICE Guideline for Diagnosis and Management of Parkinson's Disease.

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