About the Parkinson’s Disease Society

The Parkinson’s Disease Society is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to supporting all people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers.

 We work hard to ensure that no one has to face Parkinson's on their own.

 Support - We have over 69,000 supporters, including 29,000 members.  We also coordinate a network of over 330 branches and support groups around the UK.

Information - We provide free advice and information on all aspects of Parkinson’s, including drug treatments, surgery, therapies, social and health care rights, benefits, insurance, employment, and driving.

Advice - We have a free confidential Helpline staffed by trained nurses and specialist advisors offering information, support and a sympathetic ear.  We currently answer around 20,000 calls per year. The number is 0808 800 0303.

Research - We have invested over £40million researching the cause, prevention and cure of Parkinson’s, as well as looking at ways to improve treatments and the lives of those with the condition.

Education - We provide education to health and social care professionals to increase their understanding of this complex condition.

Campaigns - We campaign for high quality support, care, treatment and research to benefit people with Parkinson's and their carers.

Our work is totally dependent on voluntary donations and can only continue with the help and generosity of our supporters. For every £1 donated, 85p goes directly towards helping people affected by Parkinson’s.

How your support helps

 £2 covers the cost of sending out a free copy of our DVD Being There to someone newly diagnosed with Parkinson's

• £12 could enable an Information and Support Worker to give expert advice on benefits to a person with Parkinson’s
• £25 could pay for a Helpline nurse to take calls for an hour
• £150 could fund a Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist for a day
• £1,000 could fund a cutting edge research project into Parkinson's for a week

 

Current Campaigns

Fair Care for Parkinson’s

Too many people affected by Parkinson's are missing out on key services, depending on where they live. These range from a lack of information about the condition, long waits to see a specialist, to poor access to therapy services.

The Parkinson's Disease Society wants to influence UK governments and administrations to make sure the right leadership, monitoring and workforce is in place to deliver high quality services for everyone with Parkinson's and their carers, wherever they live.

What we want

• Strong national and local leadership for Parkinson's and other neurology services
• Enough skilled health and social care staff in place to provide the full range of appropriate care
• Effective monitoring of Parkinson's services in all areas of the UK to ensure they meet national guidelines and standards
• A review of the implementation of existing standards, including a 5-year review of the National Service Framework for Long-term conditions in England

• Development of Parkinson's services to be fully included in the implementation of the North and Mid and South Wales Neurosciences Review groups' reports
• More Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists, particularly in Wales and Northern Ireland
• A framework for sustainable future funding for Deep Brain Stimulation in Wales

Together we can fight for a fairer deal for people affected by Parkinson's.

 Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialists

We want all people with Parkinson's in the UK to have access to a Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist (PDNS). The care and support a PDNS can give is extremely important to people with Parkinson's and their carers, and PDS members have voted the development of the Parkinson's nursing service as one of the top campaigning priorities for a number of years.

We have championed the PDNS role since 1989 and have invested over £8million in developing PDNS posts alongside local NHS organisations.

 About Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, neurological condition, for which there is currently no cure. It affects the everyday activities many of us take for granted, such as walking, talking or even smiling.

As many as 120,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s. That’s one in 500 of the general population. Most people are diagnosed at around the age of 60, but younger people can also develop Parkinson’s. It is estimated that one in 20 people with Parkinson’s is under the age of 40 when first diagnosed.

At present there is no known cure for Parkinson’s, but there are a range of treatments available to help control the symptoms and maintain the quality of life of people with the condition.

For further information, advice and support

go to www.parkinsons.org.uk

'Charity registered in England and Wales No. 258197 and in Scotland No. SCO37554'.