Joint Parkinson’s initiative supporting patients at home wins national award

The Home Based Care project won the Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care category at the Bright Ideas in Health Awards 2024
The Home Based Care project won the Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care category at the Bright Ideas in Health Awards 2024

A home-based care project which empowers people with Parkinson’s through self-care pathways has won the award for Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care at the Bright Ideas in Health Awards 2024.
Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest growing neurological condition, and the Home Based Care project supports people through user-friendly technology, such as wrist-worn sensors, and traditional care including guidance on recognising and managing symptoms and support from dedicated healthcare practitioners.
Since its launch in 2019, over 280 patients across Plymouth, West Devon, and East Cornwall have been supported through the pathway, and it has been found to have benefits for both the patients and their care teams .
The Home Based Care project represents a successful collaboration between the University of Plymouth, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP), and Newcastle University, feeding into the Digital Health, Ageing Innovation and Inclusion theme of the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) to develop novel technology interventions.
The project is led by Camille Carroll, Honorary Consultant Neurologist at UHP, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Plymouth and Newcastle University, member of the BRC leadership track, and Joint Clinical Director of the Parkinson’s Excellence Network.

“I am delighted that our innovation project has received this prestigious award. This recognises our patient-centred focus and the potential impact that this forward-thinking approach to care provision will have on the lives of the many thousands of people living with Parkinson’s across the UK.”

Camille CarrollProfessor Camille Carroll
Professor of Clinical Neuroscience

The project received funding from the NHS Digital Health Partnership Award and is delivered at UHP by Senior Parkinson’s Nurse Nicky Stapleton and the Neurology team, as well as David Brown who is the Steering Group Chair. Also working on the project are University of Plymouth PhD student Katie Bounsall, Paras Patel, Project Manager at Newcastle Health Innovation Partners, and Precious Onyeachu, Post-Doctoral Fellow at Newcastle University.
This award builds on the previous success of the service, which was also highly commended in the BMJ Award’s Digital Innovation Team of the Year category in 2021.
The next step for the Home Based Care project team is to continue to build its digital system, called SMaRT-PD (Self-Management, Remote monitoring and Timely review for Parkinson’s Disease), which will be evaluated across different Parkinson’s services.
The hope is that this will enable the team to understand whether adjustments need to be made to the service, or whether SMaRT-PD provides an effective way to deliver Parkinson’s care within the NHS, supporting its implementation into Parkinson’s services across the UK.
 

Applied Parkinson’s Research Group

The Applied Parkinson’s Research Group oversees the clinical trials and studies aimed at improving the lives of those with Parkinson’s through neuroprotective interventions, digital innovation for care and research and genetic aspects of Parkinson’s.
Patient with Parkinson's. At home care giver
PIHR abstract medical pharmacy healthcare innovative concept background

Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research (PIHR)

Walking frame

Home Based Parkinson’s Care

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Teaching and Learning

Peninsula Medical School