Ending the wait: we're calling on the government to fix the Parkinson's NHS specialist workforce

Parkinson’s is a complex condition requiring specialist care. Every person with Parkinson’s should have access to specialist, integrated, multidisciplinary care when they need it. But for many, this simply is not their reality.

Earlier this week, we launched our Can’t wait campaign to make sure people with Parkinson’s get access to the specialist doctors and nurses they need to live well.

Join our Can’t Wait campaign and write to your MP to urge the government to take action.

What is the problem?

Longstanding shortages of Parkinson’s specialist health professionals mean people with Parkinson’s are waiting too long to access care.

Some people are waiting months, and in some cases, years, to find out if they have the condition. In May 2025, only about half of the people referred to a neurologist in England were seen within 18 weeks, which is the government’s target referral time. The average waiting time is just under 16 weeks, up from 12 weeks in 2022.

Health professional shortages not only mean long waits for diagnosis, but also longer waits for essential ongoing care. More than 30,000 people with Parkinson’s across the UK have little or no access to a Parkinson’s specialist nurse. That's 1 in 5 people living with the condition.

Left unaddressed, these workforce issues will continue to have a significant impact on the health of people with Parkinson’s, adding to the £3 billion a year that Parkinson’s costs the UK economy. We've shown that investing in Parkinson’s specialists can improve care, and help prevent costly and worrying emergency hospital visits.

What changes are needed to improve access to specialist care?

We're asking the government to make the following commitments in their forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan:

Changing how Parkinson’s specialists are trained and work 
We're calling for health professionals to have dedicated learning time so they have the skills to provide the best possible care for people with Parkinson’s.

We're also asking for a ‘Modern Service Framework’ to be developed for neurological conditions. This framework would set clear standards and best practice for neurological care. We believe this is essential to make sure the government’s plans deliver improved care for people with Parkinson’s across the country.

Attracting and retaining health professionals to make sure all people with Parkinson's get timely access to the specialist care they need
We believe the government’s workforce plan should include ways to encourage health professionals to become Parkinson's specialists and give them clear career paths, especially for nurses and therapists (also known as ‘allied health professionals’). The plan should address the shortage of specialists in areas of the country where access to care is particularly poor, to make sure people with Parkinson's get equal access to care, no matter where they live.

Better understanding the current Parkinson's specialist health workforce and better planning for the future
We need a clear understanding of how many Parkinson’s specialist health professionals currently work in the NHS, as well as a thorough assessment of how many more we need to make sure everyone with Parkinson’s can access specialist care. We're asking the government to improve the data that is available so robust planning can take place.

Read more about our asks of government.

We’re ready to work with the government and the NHS to deliver the change necessary to improve access to and quality of care for every person living with Parkinson’s. We'll be responding to the call for evidence on the 10 Year Workforce Plan on the gov.uk website.

Juliet Tizzard, Director of External Relations at Parkinson’s UK, said:
"We hear from so many people with Parkinson's who are waiting too long for the care and support they need. Long delays cause avoidable harms to people with Parkinson’s.

"Parkinson’s services have experienced years of under investment. The government’s 10 Year NHS Workforce plan must tackle the workforce crisis. That means real focus on recruiting, training and supporting Parkinson’s specialists, along with better workforce data and national standards to ensure high quality care, wherever you live.

"We have the expertise and the drive to help shape a system that works. And we’re ready to work with the government and the NHS to deliver the change that’s urgently needed. People with Parkinson’s can’t wait.”