Get It On Time campaign gathers momentum

In September, Parkinson’s UK launched ‘Every Minute Counts: Time critical Parkinson’s medication on time, every time’, a report about the importance of people getting their Parkinson’s medication on time in hospital. Read about the campaign and the report.

We also released a joint statement calling on the government to take action on this issue, along with other charities whose communities rely on time-critical medication, and with support from health professional bodies. Read the joint statement.

The launch of the campaign received national media coverage:

• Article in The Telegraph (behind a paywall).
• Article in The Independent.
• Article in the Health Service Journal.

In October, we held an event in Parliament to speak to MPs about the issue. Hundreds of our campaigners wrote to health minister Maria Caulfield MP, asking her to take action. If you haven't already done so, write to your MP to demand change.

NHS England meeting

In December, we met with NHS England's medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis. We discussed the report and how we can work together to address the issue of people with Parkinson’s not getting their medication on time in hospital.

Clare Addison, a nurse living with Parkinson's, shared her personal experiences of managing her own medication and caring for people with Parkinson’s as a nurse.

She also highlighted the national campaign on time critical medications she has been co-leading with Dr Jonny Acheson, Director of Engagement for the Parkinson’s Excellence Network, and other health professionals living with Parkinson’s.

Professor Powis recognised the importance of addressing this issue, and the impact it has on people with Parkinson’s and those with other health conditions where medications are time critical, such as diabetes and epilepsy.

He advised us on ways to maximise the impact of our work and agreed to raise the issue with colleagues at NHS England.

We have agreed on some next steps and are looking forward to working more closely with the team at NHS England in 2024 to ensure more people with Parkinson's get their medication on time, every time in hospital.