24/04/2006

Parkinson's sufferers 'getting worse' in hospitals

Many patients with Parkinson's are having to stay in hospital longer and are getting physically worse because of not getting their medication on time, according to a survey.

A survey conducted by the Parkinson's Disease Society among Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists blamed a number of factors, including inflexible drug rounds and a lack of understanding amongst ward staff for the situation.

When a Parkinson's sufferer is unable to take their prescribed medication at the right time, the PDS said, their symptoms become uncontrolled and they can become very ill.

The survey found that seven out of ten nurses believed that people with Parkinson's "could not rely" on getting their medication on time. Ninety per cent also felt that patients with Parkinson's experienced clinical problems or an extended hospital stay as a result of missed or late administration of their medication.

Steve Ford, Chief Executive of the Parkinson's Disease Society said: "It's completely unacceptable that people with Parkinson's are currently anxious about being admitted into hospitals and care homes across the UK because of a real risk that their Parkinson's will get a lot worse. We want all hospitals to immediately implement the standards laid down by the Department of Health for medicines' management and have written to every Chief Executive within the NHS to ask them if they are aware of what is happening for patients with Parkinson's in their hospital.

"This is not about the numbers of nursing staff. It's about wanting hospital employees to understand Parkinson's better and what happens to people when they don't get their medication on time. We urge them to listen to the person with Parkinson's, their carers and their families, as they know exactly how to manage their condition."

The PDS has called for all staff working in hospitals and care homes to have a better understanding of Parkinson's and why the timing of drugs is crucial and for hospital pharmacists to make sure that they always stock a broad range of Parkinson's medication, which is also easily accessible.

It has also called for people with Parkinson's to have the option to self-medicate if they are able to.

The Department of Health said that every hospital patient should receive the correct dose of the correct drug at the right time. "Anything less is unacceptable," a department spokesperson said.

(KMcA/CD)






Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

24 February 2015
'Black Alert' Hospital Cancels Routine Operations
Plymouth Hospitals Trust in Devon has cancelled more than 1,000 routine operations, according to a report by the BBC. It is understood that the hospital has been on "black alert" since January: a black alert is issue when a hospital is overwhelmed by demand.
18 December 2014
Women Diagnosed With Cancer Following Recall Of Patients
Six out of 30 women recalled following concerns about breast cancer screenings have been diagnosed with the disease. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust recalled the women after a review of 626 cases between 2011 and 2014. It is understood that all the women were screened by the same radiologist.
31 January 2013
Only Third Of Hospitals Share Crime Data With Police
Only a third of areas in England are following through on a government pledge to make hospitals share violent crime data with police, an audit has shown. The results of the Department of Health audit have cause the government to write to hospitals and chief constables for an explanation.
08 December 2004
UK-wide rise in time taken to save for first house
It takes first time buyers six months longer to save for a house deposit when compared to the first quarter of 2004 and one year nine months longer than in 1994.
13 September 2012
Hospitals On 'Brink Of Collapse' Warn Doctors
Doctors have warned that England’s hospitals could be on the brink of collapse because of rising demand and the increasing complexity of patients' conditions. A new Royal College of Physicians' report said that bed numbers had been cut by a third over the past 25 years.