Rob Skelly1, Lisa Brown2, Apostolos Fakis3, Richard Walker4. 1. Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Royal Derby Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3NE, UK. Electronic address: rob.skelly@nhs.net. 2. Department of Neurology, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK. Electronic address: lisa.brown8@nhs.net. 3. Research & Development Department, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby, UK. Electronic address: apostolos.fakis@nhs.net. 4. Northumbria Health Care NHS Foundation Trust, North Tyneside General Hospital, Rake Lane, North Shields NE29 8NH, UK; Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, UK. Electronic address: richard.walker@nhct.nhs.uk.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Care for people with Parkinson's admitted to hospital is often suboptimal and services for these patients vary. We conducted a national survey to document current service provision in the UK and to explore clinicians' views on standards of care and potential service improvements. METHOD: We used the mailing lists of British Geriatric Society Movement Disorder Section (BGS-MDS), British and Irish Neurologists' Movement Disorders Group (BRING-MD), and Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists Association (PDNSA) and invited participation by email with a link to an online survey (www.surveymonkey.com). The survey was posted in spring 2014 for six weeks. RESULTS: There were 93 respondents from at least 65 different hospitals. The estimated response rate was 19%. Respondents were: 35 consultant geriatricians; 21 consultant neurologists, 29 Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists (PDNS), 8 others. 81% respondents report their hospital has a PDNS. 79% have a geriatrician with an interest in Parkinson's. 54% have a Parkinson's clinical guideline, 16% a cohort/specialist ward for Parkinson's and 11% an electronic system for flagging Parkinson's admissions. 21% rated overall standard of care as poor. 61% were not confident that medications were given on time. Having a PDNS see all Parkinson's in-patients, flagging of Parkinson's admissions and having a Parkinson's outreach service were ranked most likely of 16 potential service developments to improve care. CONCLUSION: Care for Parkinson's in-patients is not highly rated by UK Parkinson's clinicians. Interventions to improve care need to be studied but wide variations in current service provision pose a challenge for future study design.
INTRODUCTION: Care for people with Parkinson's admitted to hospital is often suboptimal and services for these patients vary. We conducted a national survey to document current service provision in the UK and to explore clinicians' views on standards of care and potential service improvements. METHOD: We used the mailing lists of British Geriatric Society Movement Disorder Section (BGS-MDS), British and Irish Neurologists' Movement Disorders Group (BRING-MD), and Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists Association (PDNSA) and invited participation by email with a link to an online survey (www.surveymonkey.com). The survey was posted in spring 2014 for six weeks. RESULTS: There were 93 respondents from at least 65 different hospitals. The estimated response rate was 19%. Respondents were: 35 consultant geriatricians; 21 consultant neurologists, 29 Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialists (PDNS), 8 others. 81% respondents report their hospital has a PDNS. 79% have a geriatrician with an interest in Parkinson's. 54% have a Parkinson's clinical guideline, 16% a cohort/specialist ward for Parkinson's and 11% an electronic system for flagging Parkinson's admissions. 21% rated overall standard of care as poor. 61% were not confident that medications were given on time. Having a PDNS see all Parkinson's in-patients, flagging of Parkinson's admissions and having a Parkinson's outreach service were ranked most likely of 16 potential service developments to improve care. CONCLUSION: Care for Parkinson's in-patients is not highly rated by UK Parkinson's clinicians. Interventions to improve care need to be studied but wide variations in current service provision pose a challenge for future study design.