Education and changes in practice

If you or your colleagues have made changes to your practice after completing some of our learning, we’d love to hear about it.

We’re asking health and care professionals to tell us what you’ve done differently as a result of engaging with learning opportunities from the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network. All stories are welcome, whether it’s just a few lines, or something more in-depth. 

These stories help us to better understand the impact of our education, and also to showcase some of the fantastic work that teams and individuals are doing to support people with Parkinson’s.

Explore some of the stories shared with us below, or continue to the form at the bottom of this page to submit your own.

"In the first instance, we put this [training] out just for the managers and nursing teams, but found it was at a level where we could engage our care teams and wellbeing teams. The importance of the timings of medications and how exercise can make such a difference. Letting the person speak, letting them finish their sentence without finishing for them. Allowing them to do things for themselves, even if it does take longer, so they keep their self-worth.
 
We are currently planning for World Parkinson’s Day next year. We have so many ideas. We have implemented 1-to-1 exercise sessions with those living with Parkinson’s. Reviewing medications that residents are on, to ensure they are the most useful for them. We have found that a lot of residents haven’t had any input from the Parkinson’s teams for over a year and we have flagged this. Even if there are no changes to make, we can record this in their care plans.
 
We have really enjoyed the webinars, and the fact they are provided by people living with Parkinson’s is very impactful. Sharing their real-world experiences and their journey makes it so special."
 
- Clinical Trainer who received multiple Introduction to Parkinson's sessions for their staff

“[The course] made me able to ask better questions about what support might be needed to help individuals engage or benefit most. It also helped my understanding of symptoms which may indicate adapting a session or offering a break. Really helpful stuff. 

I am hoping to start a walking tennis group specifically for people with Parkinson's, and I used knowledge gained from the course to support my plan development and funding bid. I will also be requesting some of our coaching team to take the course, I am sure they will find lots of new knowledge there.”

– Exercise professional who completed the course Parkinson’s Essentials: Exercise

In 2020, a care home group with nine care homes and over 200 staff participated in Parkinson's UK's online learning pilot programme, whereby all staff received the Introduction to Parkinson's training. This training greatly enhanced the staff's understanding of Parkinson's and the importance of administering Parkinson's medication on time.

As a result, the care home group committed to the Get It On Time initiative, implementing new measures such as:

  • setting alarms 15 to 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time for all residents on Parkinson's medications
  • using Get It On Time stickers as visual reminders
  • introducing electronic tracking and reporting on medication administration times

After six months, the data showed that 96% of Parkinson's medications were administered within 30 minutes of the prescribed time, and of the 4% that were not, appropriate exceptions were documented in most cases. Residents living with Parkinson's experienced a reduction in severity of symptoms and improved quality of life as a result of these measures. 

Read more about this case study.

By completing the form, you give permission for us to use your story on this page or elsewhere in our marketing. When sharing your story, we won’t include any identifying details, such as your name or workplace. We may follow up with you by email if we have any questions about your responses. 

 (e.g. hospital ward, GP practice, care home, etc.)
(e.g. change in culture, positive changes observed in your patients/residents with Parkinson’s, etc)

If you’d like to share anything else or discuss your submission with the Education team, email [email protected]