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UK: Call For Parkinson's Nurses Boost Saturday, 17 April, 2004, 23:29 GMT 00:29 UK Campaigners are demanding more funding for specialist nurses who care for people with Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson's Disease Society said the government should provide the money to local health authorities. It said there was an urgent need for more nurses and that the NHS could actually save money in the long run. The society estimates around a fifth of the 120,000 people with the condition in the UK have no access to a specialist nurse. Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system which develops slowly over time. It is associated with trembling of the arms and legs, stiffness and rigidity of the muscles and slowness of movement. There are 10,000 new cases diagnosed each year, with one in 20 of those diagnosed aged under 40. New research by MORI suggests seven million people in the UK have a friend or family member affected by the condition. The society has already helped employ 188 of the specialist nurses. Practical advice They provide simple, practical advice, working as a link with medical teams, and can be based in hospitals or the community. In some areas of the country there are no nurses performing this role. Linda Kelly, chief executive of the charity said: "There is an urgent need for specialist nurses to work with these significant numbers of people affected by Parkinson's. "For thousands of people with Parkinson's in the UK, services are not being improved quickly enough. "We want to ensure that every person with Parkinson's has access to the vital care and support that these specialist nurses provide." The society is using its annual awareness week, from 18 to 25 April, to raise the issue. Janet Ryder, a member of the Welsh Assembly, has campaigned for more of the nurses to be introduced in North Wales, where there is currently only one. She said: "Specialist nurses certainly help patients and carers, and they can relieve the pressure on doctors." Everywhere She said the nurses should be available everywhere and the funding needed to be provided centrally to avoid a "postcode lottery" of care. Health Minister Stephen Ladyman, said numbers of nurses in the NHS were rising. He added: "We are aware of the valuable work done by specialist nurses in helping patients and their carers cope with this distressing condition. "Primary Care Trusts, however, are responsible for assessing the health needs of their populations and commissioning services to meet those needs. This includes decisions on employing specialist nurses." Mr Ladyman said a National Service Framework (NSF) outlining care standards for people with long-term conditions would be. published later this year. He added: "This NSF will help drive up the standard of services for people with neurological conditions across England." SOURCE: BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3632119.stm * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn