A Parkinson’s support and research charity has claimed that reducing the number of nurses dedicated to caring for sufferers in England could see the NHS paying out more than £35m per year.
A £19.5m burden in extra admissions and demands on the time of consultants could emerge from cutting nurses in the community, and the NHS could shell out £15.6m annually due to patients staying in wards longer, according to the Parkinson’s UK report.
The charity, which said the NHS would save an extra £7.1m with 60 more nurses, has begun campaigning to protect frontline jobs.
Parkinson’s UK study said 19% of nurses revealed a caseload of more than 700 sufferers, but the average recommended caseload recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is 300.
The Department of Health said its plans for NHS modernisation will give clinicians “real power” as they work with clinical experts to shape services responding to community needs.
Copyright © Press Association 2011
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“As a parkinsons sufferer who cannot get an appointment with her nurse untill jan 2012 it is a disgrace to know that that the idiots who are planning the cuts haver no idea how this is going to affect the sufferers of this disabling illness” – Laura Ruddy, Eastbourne
“This is another crazy money-saving exercise that will backfire. My father is a sufferer of Parkinsons & Lewy Body dementia. There are already not enough nurses without this specialist care. These people need the specialist care as each day is so different for them. Their carers also need the support and more burden will be put onto the carer who are already the unpaid carers. A lot of these people are elderly and without experienced support will deteriorate a lot quicker which is needless. Come on NHS get a grip and look after those that need the looking after” – Pauline Norman, Northamptonshire
