Parkinson's nurse specalists join RD&E

Two new Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists have joined the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital to improve care for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Stacey Andrew and Samantha Moore will help to ensure patients receive the right specialist care when they are in hospital.

Their part-time posts have been funded by the charity Parkinson’s UK for the first two years. 

Stacey and Samantha will help to ensure patients with Parkinson’s are identified at the earliest opportunity following admission, and will then provide an outreach service to review inpatients and ensure they are receiving the right care. 

Their role will also involve liaison with families, patients, nursing staff and community teams, as well as hospital wide education of the Multi Disciplinary Team and nursing staff on Parkinson’s disease. The pair will be working with Dr Sarah Jackson and the team on Bolham Ward.

Tracey Reeves, Deputy Chief Nurse/Midwife, at the RD&E said: “We are delighted to be working with Parkinson’s UK enhance in-patient care for those with Parkinson’s. Stacey and Samantha’s appointment at the RD&E will ensure that we are able to provide expert care for patients at the right time, wherever they are in the hospital.”

Geoff King, Influence and Service Development Officer – South West, from Parkinson’s UK said:  “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with the RD&E in the improvement of in-patient care for people with Parkinson’s. This is a complex and varied condition which often requires a range of different and time specific medications, presenting a major practical and awareness challenge to ward staff.

"By developing these specialist posts with initial funding from the charity, the Trust is taking a significant step forward in improving care for this vulnerable group of patients.”