Patients face 150-mile trip to get Parkinson’s treatment

A search has been launched to find somewhere in Shropshire for Parkinsons patients to receive pioneering treatment, after it emerged patients were having to travel as far as Hereford.

Patients want to find a venue preferably in Shrewsbury where they can receive treatment after sessions at Megan Baker House in Leominster ceased.

About 40 people who travelled across the Shropshire border to make use of the service now face a 10-mile longer journey to Hereford leaving people travelling from north Shropshire with a potential round trip of 150 miles.

The Parkinsons sufferers also need to find custom-made treatment furniture for the conductive education treatment, developed by physician Professor Andras Pto in Hungary, which embraces learning and development of movement, speech and mental ability. The treatment is also used to help those living with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, strokes or head injuries.

Brenda Hodnett, from Shrewsbury, has suffered from Parkinsons for three years and has been having the treatment for several months.

She said: We have been to see a variety of venues to try and find a space where we can have the treatment. But the rooms have either been too small, with the wrong flooring, or there hasnt been enough storage for the tables and beds we need to use.

Conductive education has meant that I can stay off medication. But I havent had any treatment in a few weeks and I can feel that the symptoms are getting worse.

I have been offered a place in Hereford but to have to travel so far is a real pain. I would go, but there are many whose symptoms are far worse than mine who will really struggle.

We just want a room where we can get the treatment. It is scandalous that we have to travel outside of the county for treatment.

Conductive education for adults is not available on the NHS but the classes Brenda attended were run by Annamaria Berger, who trained at the Peto Institute, has had to move from Megan Baker House to a new practice in Hereford.

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Patients face 150-mile trip to get Parkinson’s treatment