Occupational therapy pathway
Find the most relevant courses for your role, from entry-level learning to optional, specialised knowledge courses.
If you’re new to Parkinson's education or to supporting people with Parkinson's, we recommend starting at the entry-level point and completing all courses up to and including the Foundation programme. You can then explore the optional further learning courses that best suit your needs.
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Occupational Therapy: Parkinson's Essentials
An introductory course that will develop your knowledge and understanding of Parkinson’s through videos, interactive resources, and online information.
Length: 15 minutes
Find out more about our Occupational Therapy: Parkinson's Essentials course.
Core learning
Foundation Programme
8 self-guided, online courses covering the basics of Parkinson's as a condition and associated professional practice.
Length: 30 minutes plus reflection time per course
Knowing Parkinson's account required: Yes
Certificate of completion: Yes
Develop your knowledge
Learn about the causes, signs and symptoms of fatigue and apathy in Parkinson's, and strategies to manage and reduce their impact.
Length: 3 hours
Knowing Parkinson's account required: Yes
Certificate of completion: Yes
Learn how to support people to make informed decisions about technology.
Length: 30 minutes
Knowing Parkinson's account required: Yes
Certificate of completion: Yes
Developed with expert therapists, this free online course tells you how to provide the best care for your patients with Parkinson’s.
Length: 12 hours
Knowing Parkinson's account required: Yes
Certificate of completion: Yes
More resources and learning for you
Occupational Therapy Network
- Provided by the Parkinson's UK Excellence Network.
Our Occupational Therapy Network offers a supportive space for occupational therapy professionals who work with people with Parkinson’s to come together to share knowledge, learning and best practice.
Access the Occupational Therapy Network.
Impulsive and compulsive behaviour
- Provided by the Parkinson's UK Excellence Network.
Explore the impulsive and compulsive behaviour side effects of Parkinson's drugs, how to monitor it and provide support.
Read about impulsive and compulsive behaviour.
View the impulsive and compulsive behaviour in Parkinson's: monitoring and information tool.
Mental Health Hub
- Provided by the Parkinson's UK Excellence Network.
Jennifer Foley, Clinical Neuropsychologist with University College Hospitals London NHS Foundation Trust, leads the Excellence Network Mental Health Hub, which aims to develop ways of improving mental health services for people with Parkinson's.
Get involved with the Mental Health Hub.
Read Why mental health matters too.
Guidance on psychological interventions for people with Parkinson's
- Provided by The British Psychological Society in partnership with Lancaster University.
This evidence-based guidance outlines evidence-based recommendations for professionals providing psychological support to individuals living with Parkinson's.
View Guidance on psychological interventions.
Occupational therapy for people with Parkinson's: Best practice guide
- Provided by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
This guidance includes practical examples of interventions to allow occupational therapists to apply new and existing treatments in their day-to-day practice.
View the Occupational therapy for people with Parkinson's: Best practice guide.
NICE guidelines
- Provided by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
This guideline covers diagnosing and managing Parkinson's in people aged 18 and over. It aims to improve care from diagnosis, including monitoring and managing symptoms, providing information and support, and palliative care.
Read the guidelines on the NICE website.
Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) Resource Centre
- Provided by Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
Access the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Resource Centre.
Allied Health Professionals’ competency framework for progressive neurological conditions
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Produced in partnership and sponsored by MS Trust, Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
This competency framework aims to recognise the activities and responsibilities of allied health professionals working with patients with progressive neurological conditions.
View Allied Health Professionals’ competency framework for progressive neurological conditions.
Non-motor symptoms questionnaire
- Provided by International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS).
This questionnaire can be given to people with Parkinson's to aid health and social care professionals in assessing their non-motor symptoms.
View the Non-motor symptoms questionnaire.
Patient Health Questionnaire - PHQ-9
- Adapted from the PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire.
A patient health questionnaire.
View the Patient Health Questionnaire - PHQ-9.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)
- Provided by NovoPsych.
The Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) is a brief measure for symptoms of anxiety, based on the generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) diagnostic criteria described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
View the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment.
Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - ACE-III
- Shared by NHS Scotland.
This neuropsychological test evaluates various cognitive domains including attention, memory, language, verbal fluency, and visuospatial abilities.
View the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - ACE-III.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
- Provided by MoCA Cognition.
This brief 10 minute, 30 point tool assesses different cognitive domains: attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visuoconstructional skills, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation.
Access the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.
Parkinson's Disease Fatigue Scale (PFS-16)
- Shared by the Parkinson's UK Excellence Network.
The Parkinson's Disease Fatigue Scale (PFS-16) is a patient-rated scale that measures fatigue: one of the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's.
View the Parkinson's Disease Fatigue Scale.
Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale 2 (PDSS-2)
- Shared by Mapi Research Trust
The Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS-2) allows health and social care professionals and people with Parkinson's to self-rate and quantify their level of sleep disruption to target treatment appropriately.
View the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale.
Neurology Academy MasterClasses
- Provided by the Neurology Academy.
The Parkinson's Academy and Palliative Care Academy offer different levels of MasterClass for professionals specialising in Parkinson's.
Visit the events page on the Neurology Academy website for more information.
Training Made Easy events
- A Multidisciplinary Approach to Parkinson's 2 day event.
- Multidisciplinary Management of Parkinson's Level One.
- Multidisciplinary Team Management of Atypical Parkinson's Disease.
Register for these events on the Training Made Easy website.