A HOUSTON dad who suffers from Parkinson’s is urging people to sign a petition calling on health boards to introduce mandatory training sessions on treatment.
Mark Brown, who has been living with the progressive neurological condition for more than seven years, made the plea after it was revealed patients with Parkinson’s in Scotland fail to get their medication when they are meant to in hospital more than 100,000 times a year.
The discovery was made by the Parkinson’s UK (PUK) study Get It On Time, which found more than half of all drug doses were late or missed due to “systematic failures” in Scotland’s hospitals.
Mark, who experienced a battle himself in getting his medication right for him, told The Gazette incorrect or missed doses could be life-changing and can lead to patients not being able to perform the simplest of tasks.
READ MORE: Houston dad lifts lid on battle with Parkinson’s
The dad-of-two said: “It is vital that incorrect or missed doses do not happen.
“Because the specific medication is required in both dose and time, the body is waiting for that much-needed top-up and stabilising in order to assist in combating the various symptoms.
“Failure to receive these top-ups does have serious consequences, from excessive tremors to rigidity and simply not being able to function.
“This combined with extreme anxiety and general lack of wellbeing is stressful and will continue until the correct medication is taken.”
Parkinson’s, which is thought to affect around 12,500 people in Scotland, is known to give rise to dozens of different symptoms.
And with each patient needing different medicines at certain times of the day, these do not often coincide with ward drug rounds.
Mark added: “Hospitals have routine and rotas, so issuing medication to patients happens at agreed rota times every day. However, this does not take into account the needs of those Parkinson’s patients who will need their medication at different times or frequency.
“This is why PUK is campaigning for changes to the routines within hospitals.”
To sign the petition, visit here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here