In a question to the Minister for Health and Social Services today, Cllr Janet Finch-Saunders AM put pressure on the Welsh Government to improve provisions of specialist Parkinson’s nurses.

Janet said: “Of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease in Wales, 89% require primary and secondary care – this is around 5,340 people. The remaining 11% are also recommended access to a specialist nurse for advisory purposes.

“Four out of seven Health Boards in Wales have nurses with much higher caseloads than the recommended 300 patients per nurse. This is unacceptable.

“There have been concerns have been raised in the media recently over increased in ‘bed-blocking’ due to a lack of availability of specialist nurses in the community. The recent Royal College of Nursing’s Employment Survey for Wales has also highlighted the increasing stresses nurses in Wales are being placed under.

“I want to see the Welsh Government guarantee effective, personalised care for Parkinson’s patients, but they are cutting £1 billion in real terms from the NHS budget over the next three years, even when specialist nurses have such high caseloads.”