Parkinson's services a postcode lottery

A visit to the Telford and Wrekin Support Group this week really highlighted to me the different levels of health and social services that people with Parkinson's experience - depending on where they live - and the unfairness of it all.

One man told me how having the support of a Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist is the most important aspect of his care, and he couldn't praise her more. But a group from Bridgnorth didn't have access to a nurse and felt that they were really missing out. They also didn't get the regular time with their GP to talk through all the challenges of living with Parkinson's, and spoke of long waits to see the doctor and cancelled appointments.

Next week, a report will be published by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Parkinson's that will show evidence of these inconsistencies we already know about, and recommend ways that the Government can fix these problems.

The Parkinson's Disease Society will be campaigning to make sure the recommendations from the report are carried out by the Government - and if you want to get involved, you can join the National Campaigns Network now.

Please also tell us your experiences of good or bad Parkinson's services, wherever you are in the UK. With your help, we can make things fairer for people with Parkinson's.

Steve Ford is Chief Executive of the Parkinson's Disease Society