Rachael Maskell MP Unite for Parkinsons
Rachael Maskell MP Unite for Parkinsons

York Central MP, Rachael Maskell, has welcomed a letter of intent from the Vale of York CCG to go ahead with a new Parkinson’s nurse post in York and Selby, funded by Parkinson’s UK.

After meeting in the constituency with Parkinson’s UK at the end of last year to discuss provision in York, it became evident that more could be done to improve services. Since the meeting, Ms Maskell has been working to progress funding in relation to a community based Parkinson’s nurse for the area.

Ms Maskell has also been working in Parliament to raise awareness of the challenges people with Parkinson’s face and has signed up to take part in the Parkinson’s in the Workplace training from Parkinson’s UK.

Ms Maskell is pushing for greater awareness of the condition, as a recent survey found that 32 per cent of people with Parkinson’s have been stared at in public and 11 per cent have been laughed at. In addition, 32 per cent of people do not feel that their symptoms are socially acceptable.

Parkinson’s affects 145,000 people in the UK, which is one in 350 people in York Central. With numbers of people affected expected to increase by a fifth by 2025, the charity is aiming to change attitudes about Parkinson’s to make life better for everyone living with the condition.

Rachael Maskell MP for York Central says:
“It is shocking that people with Parkinson’s face so many barriers, including being mistaken for being drunk, when out in public. 

Having worked in neurology as a physiotherapist, I understand the real challenges faced by people with Parkinson’s Disease, however I want to take the training offered by Parkinson’s UK so that through my work I can help to improve the lives of those affected by the condition and better understand the issues faced by constituents who come to my advice surgery.

I am really pleased that after campaigning for better provision, a letter of intent from the Vale of York CCG to go ahead with an additional Parkinson’s nurse post has now been received and that services are set to improve in our area.

This is a very big victory for people with Parkinson’s living in our area as it will mean that, once the post is filled, everyone will have access to a Parkinson’s nurse, no matter which consultant they see.

I will continue to work with Parkinson’s UK, the Vale of York CCG and York Hospital to ensure that this post is up and running as quickly as possible and that further work is established in the constituency to raise awareness of the condition.”

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