"Guidance and support following my husband’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s."

My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 3 years ago. We had lots of involvement from different people, it was all very confusing. Then we met Kim, Sister in Complex Neurology from the Worcestershire Integrated Neurology Service. She has been our saviour. She helped us make sense of all the different aspects of the Neurology Service.

Throughout our journey she has been the one constant person we felt we could rely on. She visits my husband at home about every 6 months and if we have a query in-between visits I can email her and she will get back to me as soon as she is able. She is amazingly quick and efficient at referring my husband to other relevant services and explaining what they do.

Kim ensures my husband gets everything available to suit his particular needs - OT, Physio, SALT, HASE, Hospice support, Parkinson’s nurse input. She draws it all together to produce an individualised care plan for my husband. She always works in a totally person-centred way. She gives us hope.

She noticed when, as my husband’s carer, I was struggling emotionally and helped me find support for my mental health. We could not bear to think of life without Kim, she treats us as equals. She is our rock and empowers us to get the best possible outcomes from a confusing range of services.

She has a sense of humour, which she uses appropriately to persuade my husband into the best courses of action. She is very knowledgeable but not afraid to say if she needs to find out. Above all, she cares and it shows.

We feel we are not just numbers on her heavy case load. Over the last three years there have been times when I don’t think we’d have made it if it wasn’t for Kim.