Dr Kieran Mullan, MP for Bexhill & Battle, met with members of the Bexhill Working Age Parkinson’s Support Group to discuss huge local backing for the national campaign calling for a parliamentary debate on Parkinson’s and how he can help local people living with the condition.
The ‘Parky Charter’ petition being run by the Movers & Shakers in collaboration with Parkinson’s UK has now reached 109,000 signatures (https://www.moversandshakerspodcast.com/) and will therefore be put forward for debate in Parliament as it has surpassed 100,000. Bexhill and Battle has the highest number of signatories of all Parliamentary constituencies with over 550 signatures.
Viv, Helen and Linda from the local Working Age Parkinson’s Support Group met with Kieran and are staunch campaigners working alongside Parkinson’s UK to raise awareness and bust the myth that it is a condition which only affects old men. All three women were of working age at point of diagnosis and the route to getting diagnosed was challenging and lengthy.
The petition focuses on increased funding and a ‘Parky Charter’ which calls on the government to help people with Parkinson’s in five key ways – referral within 18 weeks to a neurologist or geriatrician; essential information on living with the condition at time of diagnosis; automatic right to certain benefits; comprehensive care; and funding for a cure.
Kieran said “I am keen to support this campaign for a debate on the condition, which has such strong local support. It’s an important issue for constituents and as Viv, Helen and Linda demonstrate, it can affect anyone at any age. Local residents who have signed the petition clearly feel strongly that the government and NHS must do more to support those living with Parkinson’s.
“As well as supporting the petition, I shall be applying for a separate debate in Parliament on the issue. I have committed to work closely with the local support group and Parkinson’s UK to keep raising the profile of this condition to improve the help and support which is provided both nationally and locally.”
Viv, Helen and Linda said they “welcomed the opportunity to voice our concerns to Kieran, who had already shown his support by attending one of our group meetings and joining the Parkinson’s UK APPG to learn more about Parkinson’s disease on our behalf. We are reassured by Kieran’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness of the complexities of this disease and working to try and improve the model of care for all people living with Parkinson’s disease locally. He took on board our concerns and, as a doctor, has a good understanding of the challenges we face. We look forward to him speaking on our behalf to government officials and ministers.”
This Saturday 30th August, a charity show for Parkinson’s UK called ‘Incurable Optimist’ will be held at The Hastings Centre, The Ridge at 2:30pm. Tickets are available at pma-hastings.eventbrite.com.
