HL Deb 23 April 2001 vol 625 c22WA
Lord Harrison

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the recent report by Professor David Burns of Newcastle General Hospital that some 25 per cent of patients thought to have Parkinson's disease have been wrongly diagnosed. [HL1666]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The Government have not been made aware of particular difficulties in the diagnosis of patients with Parkinson's disease. The Government will continue to emphasise that all doctors, including general practitioners, receive training designed to ensure they have the basic skills, knowledge and experience to provide quality services to patients, including those with Parkinson's disease, and to respond to changing patterns of disease and modern methods of healthcare delivery.