Parkinson's Disease Service

For a number of years a nurse specialist in Parkinson's disease has been employed at Victoria Infirmary to provide specialist support for new patients attending the consultant clinic, to review return patients and to help train district nurses and others in the management of people with the condition.

Particular emphasis is given to counselling, and to providing advice and information at the time of diagnosis and as required thereafter.
Further information about this service is given in the description of the ‘Pilot Research Project.

3.5 w.t.e. new nurse specialists in Parkinson's disease have now been recruited so that this service is now available for all patients diagnosed at or attending acute hospitals in Glasgow; full details of the service provided in each hospital is given in the following newsletter: Greater Glasgow Movement Disorder Clinics.
A clinical information system is also being developed to ensure that patients are receiving appropriate follow-up, to help evaluate the service and to identify needs which are not currently being met. Aggregated information from this system will also help to inform future service development.

Other challenges include establishing effective linkages between hospital and primary care information systems; ensuring that there is some recompense from other Health Boards whose patients make use of the service which have been and will continue to be developed; and the development of rehabilitation services for people with Parkinson’s Disease.