A wide range of health professionals might be involved in your care over the years.
Dieticians
If advice and support is needed to help maintain weight and malnutrition, then you may be referred to a dietician. When Parkinson’s disease becomes more complex, you may experience more involuntary movements (dyskinesia) which results in you using up more energy. The dietician can help you to manage your weight and ensure you are taking in the right balance of nutrients and a balanced diet.
Palliative Care
It is important to know that Palliative care is not just for ‘end of life’ care. It is an approach we use to ensure that we try and maintain your quality of life when your disease is advanced. It is a way of supporting you and your family and signposting you to other healthcare professionals who can help to manage your symptoms.
Symptoms that we can help with may include pain, immobility, loss of appetite and psychological problems.
Your Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist or the Palliative care team can also support you in making decisions about your future care wishes.
Psychologists and counsellors
You may be struggling to come to terms with your diagnosis, or you may be experiencing anxiety or depression. It is extremely important not only to look after your physical health but also your mental health. There may be a time when you need to seek support from a counsellor or a psychologist. They can help you to talk through personal and emotional matters which you may be having difficulty overcoming.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists do not only advise you on your medication. They can also help in providing you with information about ways to make it easier if you are having problems taking your pills from the strips or bottles or even taking tablets on time. There are many aids which are available to make life easier. These include pill timers or watches which vibrate when pills are due as well as dosette boxes or blister packs for tablets.
Updated 19 November 2021
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
If you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, e.g. fever, loss of taste or continuous new cough, please DO NOT attend for a blood test.
All people who have been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable for COVID are being contacted by their clinician regarding their ongoing care. If you are in this group and require a blood test, appointment details including when and where your blood test will be carried out will be communicated to you either by our blood taking team or via a text message from SwiftQueue, our electronic blood test system.
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.