Parkinson's disease happens when there is a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain. It gradually gets worse over the years.
Most people start to get symptoms when they are over 50. You can get symptoms when you are younger. Men are a little bit more likely to get Parkinson's than women.
The main symptoms that you may recognise are:
- shaking or tremors that you can’t control
- only being able to move your body slowly
- your muscles feeling stiff and hard to move.
You can find out more here: Parkinson's disease - NHS
- Your first appointment will be with a Consultant who is an expert in Parkinson’s. This will be your lead clinician. They will oversee your care.
- We will carry out an assessment and discuss a treatment plan with you. We may need to do further tests and scans.
- We will give you advice and support to help manage your condition. This includes a review of the medicines you take. We may also refer you for other support like physio or help with your speech.
- If we find you do have Parkinson’s disease, you will get help from our nurse specialists. This is to help you manage your condition.
- We aim to review patients at least twice a year. Once with your nurse specialist and once with your lead clinician. We will agree with you how you want your review to take place. Some people are happy to do this over the phone. Others would prefer to talk face-to-face.
We have a team of consultants who are experts in Parkinson’s. They lead the service with the support of specialist nurses. Our consultants are:
- Dr Adam Cassidy - Consultant Neurologist
- Dr Uma Nath - Consultant Neurologist
- Dr Fionnuala Johnston – Consultant Geriatrician
- Dr Lorna Caulfield – Consultant Geriatrician
- Dr Claire Morris – Consultant Geriatrician
We have a team of wider experts who look after people with Parkinson’s disease. This includes:
- Psychiatrists and mental health experts
- Speech and language therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists
- Pharmacists
We have regular meetings with the whole team to discuss patient care. We work closely with services in Newcastle if there is a complex case to discuss.
We also support our ward staff. This is if they need advice for a patient who is in hospital with Parkinson’s.
Yes. We always have research projects running. This to try and improve care and treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Simply ask our team about how to get involved and take part in research.
Where can I find out more?
- Parkinson’s UK - click here. Parkinson’s UK runs support groups in South Tyneside (click here) and Sunderland (click here).
- Age UK – click here
- PSP Association – click here. PSP is a complex neurological condition that often gets misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease.
- MSA Trust – click here. MSA is another complex neurological condition that often gets misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease.
