Get it on time, MSP told

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has backed a campaign led by the Parkinson’s Disease Society for people with the condition to get better treatment in hospital.

He met with constituent Philip Dry at an event in the Scottish Parliament to highlight how important it is for people with Parkinson’s to receive their medication on time, every time, when they are in hospital.

Mr McNeil heard how if a person with Parkinson’s doesn’t get their medication on time, the balance of chemicals in their brains can become severely disrupted.

This can lead to symptoms such as being unable to move, speak, eat or swallow, uncontrolled movements and hallucinations.

It can take weeks to restore effective symptom control yet many people with Parkinson’s are not being given their medication on time when they are in hospital and some even have their medicines confiscated.

The MSP said: “It was very helpful hear from people affected by Parkinson’s about why getting medication on time is so important.

“It is astonishing how common it is for people not to get the medication they need when they need it.

“This campaign is vital for all local people who are affected by Parkinson’s. I will do all I can to support it.”

Iain Young, chair of the Scottish Council of the Parkinson’s Disease Society said: “People affected by Parkinson’s in every part of Scotland know how terrifying it can be when accurate medication is not given on time, because so many of us have experienced this over the years.

“Anxiety about going into hospital casts a long shadow over people with Parkinson’s and their families, which is why we came to the Parliament.”

“Our message is that listening to people with Parkinson’s and their families is crucial.

“Simple measures like allowing people to administer their own drugs, or using pill timers on the wards can make all the difference.”

ENDS