Charity presents ambulance service with treatment guide for Parkinson's patients
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PARKINSON’S UK has teamed up with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) as part of a drive to get medication on time to people with the condition.
The charity has presented SAS with a specially prepared guide, which sets out advice for crews to follow when transporting people with Parkinson’s to hospital.
It is vital that people with Parkinson’s take their medication within 30 minutes of the prescribed time. Even a slight delay can have serious implications. Further delays and missed medications can cause long lasting harm.
In order to ensure medication is not forgotten or overlooked on a journey to hospital, either for a scheduled appointment or emergency treatment, Parkinson’s UK produced a factsheet, which will now be made available to every ambulance team in Scotland.
SAS will share the guide through its internal communications channels.
James Jopling, Scotland Director for Parkinson’s UK, said: “We work with professionals in different settings, across the country, to help people with Parkinson’s get their medication on time, every time.
“It’s been great collaborating with the Scottish Ambulance Service on this initiative, which we hope will support timely access to medication when people with Parkinson’s are being transported to hospital. This is more important than ever, with the health service under great pressure and reports of longer waiting times at A&E departments.
“We’re looking forward to working further with the Scottish Ambulance Service and other agencies to improve support and services for everyone living with Parkinson’s in Scotland.”
Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, added: “We’re pleased to team up with Parkinson's UK to ensure all our scheduled care and emergency crews can help patients with Parkinson's to take their medications on time.
“With an estimated 12,500 people in Scotland with Parkinson's, this campaign is also a vital reminder to those with a diagnosis, and their families, that it is imperative to take medications at the right time. We’ll be sharing the guidelines across the organisation, as well as highlighting the vital work of Parkinson's UK.”
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.
