'Parkinson's nurse helped me speak again'
BBCPeople living with Parkinson's disease have spoken of their disappointment at a trust's decision to end a specialist service.
In December Gateshead Health Foundation NHS Trust's (GHFT) ended a two-year pilot with a speech and language therapist after the funding for the post from charity Parkinson's UK came to an end.
Norman and Joan Dennis, both 79 and who have the condition, said the service was "fantastic" and had helped Norman to learn to speak again.
GHFT said despite the end of the scheme the "work did not stop there" and it was "using the valuable learning to develop our future service".
The charity has handed a petition to the trust calling on it to "urgently reconsider the decision" to remove the post, which it said supported 374 people.
It also said there was "clear evidence of improved patient outcomes and significant cost savings".
Joan Dennis, from Gateshead, described the care she received from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital as "fantastic" but added that the loss of the role was "disappointing".
She said the condition affects both her and her husband 24 hours a day.
Meanwhile Norman Dennis said it was a "big loss".
"She would come to the house and go through the alphabet with me and helped me learn to speak again.
"Parkinson's has taken a lot from me, my driving licence, I need help to get dressed, but being able to speak again has been great," he said.
Mattie Shannon, campaigns officer for Parkinson's UK, said: "Swallowing difficulties affects more than 80% of people living with Parkinson's, it affects drinking, eating and taking medication.
"When we funded this role two years ago we understood it was on the condition that the trust would continue to fund it after those two years ended."
Shannon said the charity was due to meet the trust soon and was "hopeful this is not the end".
The trust thanked the charity for its support.
"Instead of continuing this specific pilot role we are using the valuable learning to develop our future service," a statement said.
"The speech and language therapy provision that we have had within our trust for more than 10 years will continue to give access to safe and appropriate care."
