The Excellence Network in Mental Health Awareness Week

People with Parkinson’s experience a range of mental health issues alongside their physical Parkinson’s symptoms. Whether they manifest as some of the 30 plus non-motor symptoms, or as a reaction to diagnosis and living with the condition, mental health issues can impact the day to day reality of Parkinson's. This is why mental health is so important to the Excellence Network, and plenty of action took place to help us mark Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May).

The Mental Health Hub is back

As a precursor to the week, on 10 May, over 50 professionals working in, or with an interest in mental health, joined together in London to relaunch the Excellence Network Mental Health Hub with a symposium for professionals in the field. The Hub aims to develop ways to improve mental health services for people with Parkinson's. 

The relaunch event gave delegates the opportunity to have their say on what they want from the Hub and how it can best support them. The programme featured people with Parkinson's and carers talking about their experiences of Parkinson's mental health issues, as well as professionals across psychiatry, psychology and neurology speaking about clinical, workforce and economic issues. 

A big thank you goes to Dr Jennifer Foley, Highly Specialist Clinical Neuropsychologist, National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Lead of the Mental Health Hub, for her input to such a worthwhile event.

Visit the Mental Health Hub webpage.

Parkinson's: mental health - a new Excellence Network online course

Launched to a receptive audience during the Mental Health Hub event, 'Parkinson’s: mental health' is a brand new, free, online course. It provides professionals working in mental health services with foundation level knowledge on Parkinson's and the range of mental health symptoms associated with the condition.

As well as content by written by Dr Ruth Lewis-Morton, Clinical Psychologist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Dr Jennifer Foley, this interactive course includes:

• an introduction to Parkinson's and associated medication and therapies
• information on mental health symptoms in people with Parkinson's: anxiety, depression, dementia, psychosis and impulsive and compulsive behaviours
• video interviews with people with Parkinson’s talking about their mental health experiences
• links to additional resources and organisations

Parkinson's: mental health is a completely self-directed course so you can work through it in sections to fit around your practice. It should take around 3 hours in total to complete.

Find out more and access the Parkinson's: mental health course.

Meet the Excellence Network Mental Health - Parkinson's Advanced Clinical Training Fellows

The Excellence Network Grants team also shared good news over social media by announcing the successful candidates for 2 Excellence Network Mental Health - Parkinson's Advanced Clinical Training Fellowships. Dr Ruth Agnew will be hosted by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and Dr Elizabeth Hudson will be hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

The Fellows will be taking up their posts later this year and are set to really contribute to the field of Parkinson's mental health.

Read this news story to find out more about the advanced clinical training fellowships.