Hospitals too often unsafe for Parkinson's patients, says charity

Many patients with Parkinson’s disease say they are not always given their drugs on time when in hospital, leaving some unable to walk or talk, according to the charity Parkinson's UK. Hospitals were too often unsafe for people with the disease, leaving them scared of ending up there.

Almost two in three people with Parkinson’s do not always get their medication on time while receiving inpatient care, according to the charity’s research.

Of the 700 patients questioned between May and July this year, 78% said their health had suffered as a result of poor medication management in hospital. Setbacks included tremors, anxiety and losing the ability to walk or talk.

Lloyd Tingley, the Parkinson's UK senior policy and campaigns adviser, said: “It’s clear that hospitals aren’t always the safest places for people with Parkinson’s, with many sharing with us that they’re terrified of ever having to be admitted.”

Read full story

Source: The Guardian, 8 October 2019