Abstract
Introduction
Non motor symptoms (NMS) management in Parkinson disease is crucial part of the comprehensive management and have significant impact on the care and the quality of life. However, there are limitations in assessing non motor symptoms given the complexity of the symptoms , time constraint in the clinic setting and major emphasis being the motor symptoms.
Objective
To improve the assessment of non-motor symptoms in movement disorder clinics for the comprehensive and personalised management of patients with Parkinson disease. Service Development PD non-motor symptoms Questionnaire was introduced to the movement disorder clinics. Patients attended were asked to fill the questions in advance just before the clinic time or the questions being sent out in the post alongside the clinic appointment letter.
Results
Data collected from the movement disorder clinics before and after the intervention. Twenty unselected patients from before the intervention and twenty after the intervention were reviewed. Data showed that non motor symptoms such as falls, urinary symptoms , sleep and memory were well acknowledged before the intervention. However , there is improvement in recognition of the other non-motor symptoms after the intervention although there is still room for improvement. Further plan 1. Continue encouragement of using the NMS questionnaire and recognising the non-motor symptoms and early intervention for the comprehensive, personalised management of patients with Parkinson disease and to improve the quality of life. 2. Liaison with the secretaries to send out the NMS questionnaires to follow up patients routinely with clinic appointment letters. 3. Aim to re audit in 6 months’ time. 4. Gather patient feedback on satisfaction of non-motor symptoms recognition and getting addressed with intervention.