Our strategy
Guided by the Parkinson’s community, we’ve shaped our strategy for 2023 to 2026.
We know that the pandemic made life more difficult for people with Parkinson’s, families, friends and carers. We’ve heard that getting good health and care services has got harder. Symptoms may have worsened. More than ever, people want rapid improvements to services, and direct access to support, information and treatments that can help you live better with Parkinson’s, right now.
Every Parkinson's journey
Our strategy focuses on 4 areas:
- Pushing for excellent health and care.
- Building your community of support.
- Getting you new treatments, faster.
- Becoming fit for the future.
"We entered 2023 with a refreshed strategy, and renewed focus on 4 ambitious priorities. We want to see rapid improvements to services, and direct access to support, information and treatments that can help you live better with Parkinson’s, right now. And every one of us has a part to play, by taking an active role in how the charity continues to develop and deliver for our community."
Gary Shaughnessy CBE, Chair of Board of Trustees
Pushing for excellent health and care
When you live with a complex condition like Parkinson's, you need access to high quality local health and care services that meet your needs.
What we'll do
- Work directly with the NHS to improve services for everyone with Parkinson’s across the UK.
- Campaign for and fund more specialist Parkinson’s nurses, therapists and other healthcare professionals. And support them to give you the best care possible.
- Educate non-specialist health and care professionals so they better understand the condition.
- Help you navigate the system, and provide the information you need to demand better care.
What we'll deliver
- We’ll provide initial funding for 20 new specialist Parkinson’s nurse posts and 20 new therapist posts. These posts will support at least 6,000 more people with Parkinson's each year.
- We’ll fund 9 extra NHS service improvement projects to improve health or care for people with Parkinson’s.
- We’ll launch an access to care campaign, putting the tools to navigate the health system and demand excellent care directly into the hands of thousands of people living with Parkinson’s.
Spotlight project
Complete Care For Parkinson's
People with Parkinson's need care and advice from the right specialists at the right time. We aim to improve services by funding new Parkinson's nurses and therapists, pushing for integrated multidisciplinary care for everyone, and giving access to experts to help you understand your care options.
Building your community of support
Whether you or a loved one has Parkinson's, with the right information and support, you can feel more in control of life with the condition.
What we'll do
From the moment you’re diagnosed or whenever you’re ready, we’ll make sure you can access what you need to manage your condition and stay active, including:
- Activities to keep you fit, healthy and socially connected.
- Trusted advice and information.
- Peer support.
- A whole network of volunteer-led local groups.
Whatever your experience with Parkinson’s, you’re not alone. We’ll be here for you.
What we'll deliver
- We’ll add 1,000 new activities to our online directory of ways to get active.
- We’ll educate 500 new activity providers across the UK about Parkinson’s, and set up 10 new partnerships with physical activity providers.
- We’ll fund at least 60 physical activity projects every year across the UK.
- We’ll create engaging new resources for people with Parkinson’s and activity providers, from videos and guides to specialist support for people who are newly diagnosed.
Spotlight project
Get Active Stay Active
Being physically active is vital for living well with Parkinson's. We aim to help more people get and stay active by making it easier for people to find activities near them, funding new ideas and programmes for local communities, and providing information and support to anyone struggling to get active.
Getting you new treatments, faster
If you have Parkinson's, you need treatments that can relieve symptoms right now and help you manage the condition.
What we'll do
- Translate cutting-edge research into practical ways to manage your Parkinson’s.
- Review new technology and devices that can help you live better.
- Provide information on the most effective exercises and therapies for people with Parkinson’s, at every stage of the condition.
- Bring you opportunities to shape and take part in pioneering research.
All while fast tracking investment into the most promising research projects through the Parkinson's Virtual Biotech, our pioneering programme to find the next life-changing treatment in years not decades.
What we're delivering
- By the end of 2026, we'll invest over £40m to speed up the development of new treatments, therapies and technology for Parkinson's.
- We’ll support thousands more people from diverse backgrounds to take part in critical research studies.
- We’ll involve hundreds more people from ethnic groups that are under-represented in research, like South Asian and Black communities in the UK, to get involved in research through a new programme of outreach events.
Spotlight project
Parkinson's UK Tech Guide
Some people with Parkinson's are already using digital apps and "wearable tech" like smartwatches and sleep trackers to manage their condition. But it's not always easy to choose the right technology for your individual symptoms and challenges. Working with the Parkinson's community, we'll develop a new tool that brings together trusted information and user feedback to help you find the right apps and devices for you.
Becoming fit for the future
To find a cure and dramatically improve life with Parkinson’s, we need to empower and equip our supporters, volunteers, members and staff to make the biggest possible impact with every penny.
What we'll do
- Make it easier for you to get involved with the charity, wherever you live and whatever your income, ethnicity or gender.
- Strengthen the ways we listen to and collaborate with the Parkinson's community, and embed this into our work.
- Transform our finance and data systems to better serve the changing needs of our community.
- Raise the money needed to fund our ambitious strategy.
Our priorities
- Inspire more people to support our work.
- Unleash the collective power of our community.
- Make our work more effective and efficient.
Spotlight project
Community voices
People with Parkinson's power everything we do as a charity. But many people with lived experience of Parkinson's can't easily find opportunities to get involved in our steering groups, committees and panels. We aim to make these opportunities much more visible and accessible, so that many more members of the Parkinson's community can lead and shape our work.
More about Parkinson's UK
Help us deliver our strategy. Find your role.
We influence public policy to benefit people with Parkinson's and carers.
At Parkinson's UK, we want to be here for everyone in the Parkinson's community.
See what we've achieved by reading our annual reports.