Reviewed on : 8 Oct 2024

Reviewed by : Rachel Peskett

Expires : 8 Oct 2026

About UHCW Community Parkinson’s Disease Nursing Specialist Service

The Community Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist (PDNS) Service is based in the community, currently in Tile Hill Health Centre

This service consists of two full time Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialists and one full time Nursing Associate as part of UHCW Community Services

They also work closely with the Regional PD team at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire UHCW NHS Trust

The PDNS care for Patients (and their carers) who are affected by :

• Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD)
• Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
• Cortical Basal Degeneration (CBD)
• Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA)

They work as part of a wider team of health and social care professionals, including District nurses, Community Matrons, GPs, Social Workers, Allied Health Care Professionals and Palliative Care Teams improving the person’s quality of life by linking them to the appropriate care services and therapies

For patients with PD the PDNS will:

• Ensure care provided is tailored to the person’s individual needs, offering personalised care to patients ensuring what matters most to patients is is reflected in their plan of care
• Empower patients to recognise both motor and non-motor symptoms associated with their PD
• Teach them how to self-manage and understand when and how to access the support available

In the later stages of PD and in PSP, CBD and MSA:

• Provide Specialist support
• Liaise with GPs, consultants and any other health care professionals where needed regarding the patient’s individual needs (understanding that there are often have difficulties accessing services due to poor mobility)

Access to the PDNS Service

A limited telephone helpline is available but in the future it is possible that the helpline may be replaced by the use of the Integrated Single Point of Access (ISPA)

Patients are seen in nurse-led clinics, unless they are housebound in which case home visits will be offered

Referral to the PDNS Service

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Coventry PDNS WILL NOT see patients with:

• Lewy’s Body Dementia (LBD)
• Vascular Parkinsonism (VP)
• Essential Tremor (ET)
• Patients taking PD medications for reasons other than being diagnosed with PD
• Patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinsonism but no specific type

If a patient who has a diagnosis of non-specific Parkinsonism is referred into the PDNS service the PDNS may ask the Neurologist to revisit the diagnosis to ensure patient has a confirmed diagnosis of PD, PSP, CBD or MSA

Referral Form

If the patient meets the criteria complete the attached EMIS Community Nursing Referral form (see link right)

Email to: OOH.ISPA@uhcw.nhs.uk