The new Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist Team
Left to Right; Alison Darbyshire, Alison Stewart, Tina Daniels
Alison Stewart has now been joined by the two additional nurses agreed by NHS Lothian and funded for the first two years by Edinburgh Branch of PDS. This is great news for the Parkinson's community in Edinburgh and Lothian.
They are now based in an excellent room in the Royal Victoria Hospital, and are undergoing their specialist induction and training.
The Team comments
I am a trained Registered General and Registered Mental nurse. My nursing experience is broad based and I have worked in elderly medicine for the past 20 years.
It’s great to be part of an expanded new nurse team for Lothian, led by Alison Stewart.
I am looking forward to the unique role as a Parkinson‘s nurse and hope to be an ongoing source of support to people with the disease and their carers.
Allison Darbyshire
I am delighted to join the Lothian Parkinson's Nurse Specialist team. My background is in Clinical Neurosciences and I have worked in Neurology for eighteen years, the last ten as Neurology Clinical Nurse Practitioner in the Western General Hospital. I am excited to join the Lothian team to co-ordinate services and education to the patient and relatives and increase the focus of Parkinson's Disease within Nursing through education.
Tina Daniels
It goes without saying that I am highly delighted to have 2 enthusiastic colleagues to join me in caring for people with Parkinson’s throughout Lothian. The Lothian Parkinson’s Nurse Service will be active participants in the Lothian Parkinson’s Forum, working in partnership with Lothian Health, striving to improve care and access to a specialist Parkinson’s service for all.
Alison Stewart
Alison Stewart and the team can be contacted at 0131 537 5259 (new number)
Or Alison.Stewart@luht.scot.nhs.uk
RESPITE CARE
New Scheme for Parkinson’s in Lothian
We have arranged with Crossroads Caring Scotland to operate a Respite scheme on our behalf.
Key points are;
The costs of this scheme will be met by Edinburgh Branch from its own funds. It has set aside a limited budgetfor this purpose.
There will be no charge to any user for this service, but the Branch will welcome donations to the fund both from users and others.
The scheme will provide short term respite care in a flexible fashion
As the leaflet explains, access to the scheme is via the ISWs Joan and Sheila, from whom further assistance can be obtained.
It is available to all people with Parkinson’s in Lothian