Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network: wrapped 2024

1. We launched our newly formed Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network regional model in England and have recruited 4 Regional Clinical Leads across England. We'll share who they are early next year! More vacancies will go live in 2025 so watch this space. 

   Find out more about the launch of the new model.
    

2. Over 32,000 professionals participated in learning programmes through our Learning Hub and our volunteer led education programme. 

   Explore the learning hub and plan in your training for 2025.
    

3. We awarded funding for 10 new Parkinson’s nurse posts and 4 new allied health professional posts across the UK through our pump priming scheme.
    

4. The relaunch of our Mental Health Hub saw 50 professionals working in, or with an interest in mental health come together in London on 10 May. 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. Following on the success from this event, the Hub is hosting a Mental health webinar early next year. 

   Register to attend the webinar.
    

5. As part of our long standing Get It On Time campaign and Time critical medications programme, NHS England launched a time critical medication Medicine Safety Improvement programme. The programme will run from 2024 to 2027 and is part of the National Patient Safety Strategy. 

   Learn more about the project.
    

6. We awarded 8 Excellence Network project grants to services which promise to bring about service improvement in speech and communication management, swallowing management, physical self-management, have national outcomes for research participation, and improve equity to access of care by creation of Welsh resources. 30 health and care professionals along with 12 people with lived experience were involved in the decision making process. 

   Planning to apply for funding next year? Find out more about the grants and see key application dates for 2025.

    

7. We hosted and exhibited at 30 professional events and conferences across the UK. This included holding in-person and virtual events with many of our Excellence Hubs, as well as Excellence Network events for professionals in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We also engaged and connected with several different groups of professionals at external conferences, starting with Clinical Pharmacy Congress in May, Acute & General Medicine in October and most recently, 2 days at Therapy Expo in Birmingham, as well as many more in between. Thank you to all the professionals who joined us and spoke at these events on behalf of the Excellence Network.
    

8. We have awarded 5 Advanced Clinical fellowships in 2024: 2 fellowships through the geriatrics stream; 2 through the neurology stream; and 1 fellowship through the mental health stream, investing over £430,000 to drive NHS Parkinson's health leadership of the future.

   Read more about the fellowships here.

   Apply for an Advanced clinical training fellowship in Parkinson's and related movement disorders (geriatric medicine) until 6 January 2025.

    

9. We worked with a care home group to provide Parkinson’s training to 9 care homes with 200 staff. The impact of the training was evident with one resident who received a tailored care plan meaning they had a reduction in falls, less rigidity and tremors and a reduction in stress and anxiety. 

   Learn more about our Volunteer Led Education programme. 

    

10. This year we celebrate 35 years of the Parkinson’s nurse role, 28 years of the Alliance of Scottish Parkinson's Nurse Specialists, 25 years of the Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist Association (PDNSA) and 10 years of the Deep Brain Stimulation Nurse Association (DBSNA). More on this to come in 2025. 

    See how we have marked the anniversaries so far and how to get involved.

     

We want to give a specific mention to our national and regional clinical leads, our specialist hub leads and members. The above is just a snapshot of your dedication, expertise and passion to push for excellent health and care for people with Parkinson’s.

Thank you.