Our General Election manifesto - 3 pledges for Parkinson's
Our manifesto for the 2010 UK General Election sets out the main
priorities that people affected by Parkinson's have told us they
want the next government to look at.
Our 3 pledges for Parkinson's highlight areas where politicians
can make a big difference to the lives of people affected by
Parkinson's.
Parliamentary candidates - sign up to
our 3 pledges for Parkinson's now
Pledge 1: Fair access to health and
social care
We say: Everybody
affected by Parkinson's should have access to the right health and
social care - wherever they live.
My medication is reviewed only once a year and an unscheduled appointment is a 2 to 3 month wait. This leaves me without any medical advice from my neurologist should I need it.
- More than 1 in 4 people have never met with a Parkinson's
nurse, yet they can cut hospital admissions for people with
Parkinson's by 50%.
- Nearly half have never seen a physiotherapist, who can help
people avoid falls, injuries and admissions to hospital.
- Less than half of carers who say they need a break from caring
have had one.
Why this makes financial sense
- As little as an extra £10,000 for each area is needed to
provide key recommended healthcare services for people with
Parkinson's.
- The NHS can save around £56million with the right community
support through nurses and therapists.
- Parkinson's nurses for all could potentially save the NHS
around £6million a year in England by cutting outpatient care.
Pledge 2: Access to the right benefits
and financial support
We say: People
with Parkinson's should be able to receive the financial support
they need.
The whole ESA procedure is totally inadequate for people like me. They deem me unfit for work now but say I could return within 6 months… do they know of some miracle cure
for Parkinson's?
- 66% of people under 65 with Parkinson's feel they have been
wrongly forced into job seeking – the tick-box test for Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA) does not consider fluctuating
conditions like Parkinson's.
- ESA assessors should have training on complex conditions like
Parkinson's - so that assessments are fair.
We say: People
with Parkinson's can take up to 15 medicines a day - no one should
face financial difficulty or miss medication because of
prescription charges.
- We welcome prescription charges being abolished in Wales, and
phased out in Northern Ireland and Scotland – we believe that
people with Parkinson's living in England should also benefit from
this.
Why this makes financial sense
- If people don't take their medication there's a hidden cost -
more hospital admissions and extra community support.
Pledge 3: Government commitment to
invest in a cure and better treatments
We say: Long-term
investment in neurological research can help us find a cure and
better treatments.
- The Government must continue to invest in our scientists and
clinicians, and support innovation in our universities and
hospitals so the UK keeps its position as a global leader in
Parkinson's research.
- Long approval times for clinical trials are holding back a cure
- the Government needs to cut bureaucracy and fast track promising
therapies so people can benefit more quickly from the
research.
Why this makes financial sense
- Long-term investment leads to more effective treatments and
gets us closer to a cure, which will reduce NHS and social care
costs.
- Strengthening the UK's infrastructure in Parkinson's research
will contribute to a world-class research environment and stronger
economy.
For a copy of our manifesto, contact us on 020 7963 9349 or
email campaigns@parkinsons.org.uk
If you would like a copy of the manifesto in Welsh, please
contact the Wales office on 0844 225 3784 or email asmith@parkinsons.org.uk
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