Tamworth region Parkinson's disease sufferers 'mindblown' to find out new movement disorder nurse position will be piloted at Rural Fit

The Tamworth man said he thought his symptoms were just his age "catching up" to him, when really it was the beginning of something much more serious.

Mr Robinson was at Rural Fit in Tamworth on Wednesday for the announcement that a specialty movement disorder nurse would be recruited to the region, to work with Parkinson's patients on their goals and health.

"It's honestly mindblowing," he said.

Member for New England Barnaby Joyce was in town for the announcement, and was joined by Rural Fit's Andrew Mahony and Primary Health Network deputy chair David Briggs.

READ ALSO:

Local Parkinson's disease support group the Movers and Shakers was also there, and Mr Robinson is their leader.

The movement disorder nurse will be based out of Tamworth's Rural Fit gym, and Mr Mahony said welcoming a full-time nurse for a pilot program is a big milestone for the region.

"The nurses really help you learn about your personal goals - being a neurodegenerative disease, each few months there are declines and you're having to realign personal goals," Mr Mahony said.

He said the Movers and Shakers group - who exercise at the gym - had been pushing for a nurse to come to Tamworth.

The position hasn't yet been filled and the "scope" of the role is still being worked out.

"We want to make it sustainable, this is a three year pilot so we want to make sure that we don't burn this future nurse out, so we need to get this design correct," Mr Mahony said.

He said the Movers and Shakers would have an input into what they want from the nurse, who would work with doctors, specialists and allied health staff to get the best outcomes for local Parkinson's sufferers.

Mr Robinson said it can be a tough illness to live with - he has to close the curtains when his wife mows the lawns because he feels so bad - but seeking the support you need, helps.

"There are people out there that don't know what we do and people out there that think it's a stigma," he said.

The full-time movement disorder nurse position has been funded by the federal Department of Health.

Have your say. Click this link to send a letter to the editor

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: