UHSM appoints Parkinson's Disease Specialist
"My role is important for patients with Parkinson's, because I am the link between them and the hospital. I make sure that they are treated properly, and that they receive correct care both here and in the community. Education and medication are crucial to them. My main goal at UHSM is to highlight Parkinson's within the hospital and in the local area."
Ailish Fountain
Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist
In the UK, around 10,000 people are diagnosed each year with Parkinson’s, the progressive neurological condition affecting movements such as walking, talking, and writing. Unlike many diseases, there is no surgery or treatment that can offer Parkinson’s sufferers a cure and, worse still, they are aware that their condition will get progressively worse with time.
One of the most significant advances in the care of people with Parkinson’s in recent years has been the introduction of Specialist Nurses. Many Parkinson’s sufferers give up hope because of a lack of support, so the role of the Nurse Specialists is extremely important. There are currently around 270 in the UK – and Ailish Fountain will be South Manchester’s first one thanks to the support of the local Trafford branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society.
The post will be funded for the first two years by the Parkinson’s Disease Society, before being funded by the Trust. Dr David Bourne, Consultant in Elderly Medicine at UHSM says: “I am utterly delighted that we now have Ailish as our own dedicated Parkinson’s Disease Specialist Nurse - this is a fantastic development for the people of South Manchester."
"I’d especially like to thank Alan Pulford, who is the Co-chair of the Trafford Parkinson’s Disease Society and his colleague Penny Cunliffe who made the creation of this post possible. They have worked tirelessly alongside my team and we couldn’t have done this without them.”