Allied Health Management of Parkinson's Disease

The Allied Health & Management of Parkinsons’s Disease workshop brings together AHPs working with Parkinson’s sufferers in the Northern Rivers to consider the latest research on allied health practitioners in this field, and to explore best practices and collaborative approaches for the improvement of services for people with Parkinson’s. The forum will feature presentations by local allied health practitioners, allied health researchers, and key Parkinson’s service agencies. There will also be group workshopping to identify service provision challenges in our region and potential solutions.

Themes from the guest speakers include:

• PhD research projects looking at how people with Parkinson’s are referred to allied health, and safe mobility and fall prevention in Parkinson’s
• Perspectives on the roles of Occupational Therapists in Parkinson’s care
• The roles and resources of the Northern NSW LHD and Parkinson’s NSW in supporting care for people with Parkinson’s Disease in the Northern Rivers

Workshop Presenters & Topics:

Mary Kay Walker – Parkinson’s NSW 

Mary Kay Walker was appointed Chief Executive Officer at Parkinson’s NSW in 2023. Her priorities for the organisation are to contribute to the implementation of the National Parkinson’s Action Plan, and to advocate to NSW Government Ministries and NSW Health on advancing care for those with Parkinson’s disease. She is also working to build relationships with researchers, movement disorder specialists, and Parkinson’s nurses across the state.   

Title of Presentation: Parkinson’s NSW Services and Supports  

Parkinson’s NSW is a for-purpose organisation striving to make life better for people living with Parkinson’s, their families, and carers. 

It provides essential services such as counselling, Support Groups, an InfoLine supported by Parkinson’s health professionals, education, NDIS advocacy, and fundraising for service delivery. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of people affected by Parkinson’s.  

Cassandra Wong - Physiotherapist 

Cassandra Wong is a physiotherapist and Associate Lecturer at the University of Sydney. She is currently completing a PhD that focuses on people with Parkinson’s disease and their access to allied health. Prior to this, she practiced clinically in neurosurgery, neurology and rehabilitation. 

Presentation title: Investigating access to Allied Health by Australians with Parkinson’s Disease 

This presentation will discuss the results of two qualitative studies that investigated when, why and how people with Parkinson’s disease are being referred to allied health, including triggers for and barriers to referral. The studies examined the perspectives of care providers (i.e., neurologists, general practitioners, and Parkinson’s nurses), and of people with lived experience (people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners). 

Daniel Cheung - Physiotherapist & Associate Lecturer, University of Sydney

Daniel is an experienced physiotherapist, specialising in gerontology in the community and residential aged care. He is a currently completing a PhD focusing on safer mobility behaviour for fall prevention in people with Parkinson’s disease. He is an associate lecturer with the Discipline of Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, and is also a researcher at the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health (IMH) in their physical activity, ageing and disability arm..  

Presentation Title: A Scoping Review of Safe Mobility Behaviour in Fall Prevention: Implications for people with Parkinson’s disease 

Falls are a significant problem for people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) due to associated motor and non-motor impairments. While promoting safe mobility behaviour has been suggested as an intervention for fall prevention, this concept is poorly articulated in the literature. A scoping review was undertaken to summarise the definition and key concepts of safe mobility behaviour for PwPD living in the community. This talk will explain the concept of safer mobility behaviour and provide clinicians with practical ideas for assessing and improving mobility safety. It will provide further considerations for safer mobility in PwPD. 

Gayle Ratcliffe – Occupational Therapist    

Gayle Ratcliffe is an Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of experience in the Allied Health sector. She is committed to improving the independence and quality of life of individuals across diverse settings. She has specialised in NDIS in Aged Care, working with multidisciplinary teams, assistive technology, functional assessments, and therapy interventions. In addition to her clinical work, she teaches Occupational Therapists at Gold Coast University. She has a personal interest in Parkinson’s disease with her father recently diagnosed with the condition. 

Presentation Title: Activities of Daily Living and Assistive Technology  

Gayle will present on the role of the Occupational Therapist when treating patients with Parkinson’s. This includes: improving mobility & fall prevention, adaptive equipment, home and environmental modifications and strategies in enhancing daily living skills. 



Rebecca Manners – Parkinson’s Disease Nursing Service – Northern NSW LHD

Originally from NZ and nursing for 20 years, Rebecca has specialised for the last several years in Movement Disorders where she began as a Nurse Advisor supporting people on Apomorphine treatment, a device assisted therapy aiming to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease. She then worked at Auckland City Hospital in Neurology Outpatients as the Movement Disorder Nurse Specialist, assisting in the management of people with Parkinson’s Disease and the co-ordination of the Deep Brain Stimulation and Apomorphine programs. In 2020, she moved to Northern NSW for her current role as Parkinson’s Clinical Nurse Consultant, to help establish a nursing service for people with Parkinson’s Disease. Last year she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Aged Care Nursing at Charles Sturt University. 

Presentation Title: The role of a Parkinson’s CNC and a community nursing service.

Globally, Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and in Australia, the prevalence of PD is higher in rural and remote areas, with up to 40% of people living with this condition residing outside major capital cities. Research shows that the Parkinson’s nurse model, particularly in regional areas where access to specialist care is limited, improves quality of life, enabling people to live well and remain independent, active, and productive members of the community. This presentation aims to provide an overview of the role of a Parkinson’s CNC and the specialist services and the in NNSW LHD supporting people with Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinson’s.

This event is proudly supported by: