Parkinson’s training for Lincolnshire health staff

Aug. 26, 2016

Clinical Nurse Educator, Donna Phillips, and Specialist Physiotherapist, Jenny Whiffing EMN-160826-073345001

Two Parkinson’s UK Excellence trainers have exceeded the milestone of sharing expert knowledge and skills about Parkinson’s, to a hundred colleagues in just a few months. Clinical Nurse Educator, Donna Phillips, and Specialist Physiotherapist, Jenny Whiffing, from Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS), have delivered the ‘Parkinson’s Explained’ training to 142 clinical colleagues from across the county. 

Donna, based on Scotter Ward at John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough, said: “We are both extremely proud to be Excellence trainers and represent Parkinson’s UK and the trust by delivering these sessions to staff. “We hope to increase their knowledge and ultimately improve the care standards for patients and carers.” The pair completed the Train the Trainer course earlier in the year, which equips them with the tools to deliver the educational sessions to staff within their own trust.

Those who take the course gain an understanding of the impact of Parkinson’s, including management of the disease. By delivering the sessions together, Donna and Jenny are able to offer an expert view from both a nursing and physiotherapy perspective, and bring their individual experience and expertise of the condition to the training. Wendy Chandler, Education Advisor at Parkinson’s UK, said: “As a charity we are always trying to ensure that as many health and social care professionals as possible understand how to best manage the condition.

“If we can train internal trainers they can cascade the learning to the staff who are on the front line caring for patients. “We want patients with Parkinson’s to be cared for by staff who properly understand the condition. “Partnership working and cascaded learning helps us reach as many staff as possible.” Donna and Jenny continue to deliver sessions on a monthly basis for LCHS staff across the county and are almost at their next goal of 200 colleagues who have received training.

http://www.marketrasenmail.co.uk/news/health/health-news/parkinson-s-training-for-lincolnshire-health-staff-1-7545531?