NICE guideline for Parkinson's
The NICE Parkinson's guideline makes recommendations to doctors,
nurses and other NHS professionals on the most clinically effective
and cost effective treatment they should provide for the care of
people with Parkinson's.
What is NICE?
NICE stands for the National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence. It was set up in 1999 to:
- improve access to health care
- improve the quality of health care
Its guidelines include recommendations for all health care staff -
including doctors and nurses - on appropriate treatments, drugs,
therapies, services and all aspects of care.
Recommendations in the NICE Parkinson's guideline
NICE has identified the recommendations below as priorities for
implementation.
Referral to expert for accurate diagnosis
People with suspected Parkinson's should be referred quickly
(within 6 weeks) and untreated to a specialist with expertise in
the differential diagnosis of the condition.
Expert review
The diagnosis of Parkinson's should be reviewed regularly (every
6 to 12 months).
Regular access to specialist nursing
People with Parkinson's should have regular access to the
following, which may be provided by a specialist Parkinson's
nurse:
- monitoring and medication adjustment
- a continuing point of contact for support, including home
visits when needed
- a reliable source of information about clinical and social
matters of concern to people with Parkinson's and their carers
Access to physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and
occupational therapy
Physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and occupational
therapy should be available for people with Parkinson's.
Palliative care
Palliative care requirements should be considered in all phases
of the condition.
People with Parkinson's and their carers should be given the
opportunity to discuss end-of-life issues with appropriate
healthcare professionals.
Who does the Parkinson's guideline apply to?
The NICE Parkinson's guideline covers England, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
Scotland has its own guideline-making body – the Scottish
Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN).
The SIGN
Guideline on the diagnosis and pharmacological management of
Parkinson's was published in January 2010.
More information
Read our free leaflet What you need to
know about the NICE guideline for Parkinson's
The full guideline is available to download from the NICE website
Printed copies are also available free from the NHS response
line. Call 0870 1555 455 and quote reference N1052.
- email
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