GAPS in Parkinson’s support has left people in a postcode lottery over care.

Despite living just 10 minutes from Swindon, Vince and Maggie Mobey had been denied access to the one stop hub for specialist care that Swindon people receive because they live in Cricklade.

A couple from Cricklade have taken on health leaders to call for specialist support from Parkinson’s nurses, speech therapists and occupational therapists to be introduced in North Wiltshire to match a Parkinson’s Hub on offer for Swindon people.

For the last 10 months Mr and Mrs Mobey have campaigned for a Parkinson’s nurse to be created in North Wiltshire, writing to politicians and health chiefs.

Mrs Mobey was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2016.

Now their pleas have been listened to as Wiltshire health commissioners say that they will make sure people with Parkinson’s get the same level of support no matter where they live.

Mr Mobey said: “My Wife Maggie was diagnosed in 2016 with Parkinson’s. We quickly discovered that there is a huge unpalatable disparity between the treatment offered to residents of Swindon District and the very different treatment offered to residents in North Wiltshire.

“Once diagnosed, a Swindon resident is immediately invited to attend the Parkinson’s Care Team at GWH where there are Parkinson’s nurses, neurology physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and other specialists all offered from one hub.

“There is currently no Parkinson’s Team or dedicated Parkinson’s Nurse offered to the residents of Wiltshire and sadly a resident of Wiltshire is excluded from access to the Swindon Parkinson’s Team.

“My wife shouldn’t be unable to get care just because of where we live.”

North Wiltshire is one of just a few places left in the whole country without a dedicated Parkinson’s nurse in place.

Parkinson’s UK say that have been campaigning for years to get more support for people in North Wiltshire and are pleased that calls to have a dedicated Parkinson’s nurse for the area have now been listened to.

Dave Booth has lived with Parkinson’s for 10 years and added: “It shouldn’t be a postcode lottery of care. I had noticed some disparities of care but it wasn’t until I met Vince that I realised how different the care that we were receiving was.”

Cabinet member for adult social care Laura Mayes said: “That inequality is very clear, that just because you live in Wiltshire you can’t have some support and that seems wrong. I’m keen to support this.Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know but because you raised this we can fix this and give full support to this.”

Ted Wilson, director of Wiltshire CCG for North and East Wiltshire said: “The support currently provided currently demonstrates quite a gap in terms of North Wiltshire. To address that gap we will get additional Parkinson’s Nurses. We are keen to work with Parkinson’s UK in terms of funding and additional support for Parkinson’s nurses and training to have it up and running by the beginning of the next financial year.”