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Health White Paper: GPs must engage people with Parkinson's

13 July 2010

Yesterday, the new Health Minister, Andrew Lansley, set out the Government's ambitious plans to reform the NHS.

He launched the reforms in a White Paper titled Liberating the NHS. A key aspect of the reforms is to give GPs the power and budget to commission services.

People with Parkinson's need to have a say

Proper involvement with people with Parkinson’s will be crucial in stimulating the development of services that really meet their needs.

Val Buxton, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Information

Val Buxton, our Director of Policy, Campaigns and Information, comments on the plans:

"We are concerned about how far GPs have the capacity to engage in commissioning comprehensive services for specialist areas such as Parkinson’s.

"Proper involvement with people with Parkinson's will be crucial in stimulating the development of services that really meet their needs and offer them genuine choices about their care.

"We want to see fair care for people with Parkinson’s wherever they live.

"This will only be achieved if GPs are truly accountable to the local community for commissioning services that meet evidence-based standards such as NICE guidelines and National Service Frameworks."

Fair Care for Parkinson's campaign

Support our Fair Care for Parkinson's campaign and help make sure all people affected by Parkinson's, wherever they live in the UK, are given the care they deserve.