Looking to ease pain: Hospital Trust first recruiter in Europe to help patients with Parkinson’s

Liz Johnson, research nurse, Dr Jason Raw and Dr Ansari, speciality grade physician, with a patient taking part in the study

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has led the way by recruiting the first three patients in Europe to a randomised placebo-controlled clinical pain relief disease study. 

As the first major international study targeting patients with Parkinson’s Disease, the trial is assessing the effectiveness of a medication for pain associated with Parkinson’s Disease.

Dr Jason Raw, consultant physician at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury run by Pennine Acute Trust, has been responsible for enrolling the first three patients earlier in the year. He is research director for Parkinson’s Disease for the north west region, representing DeNDRoN (The Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network).

Patients who volunteer to take part in the trial must have severe pain according to a six day pain diary which they fill in during their screening period. If they are suitable to be included on the trial they are randomly chosen to receive a placebo or study drug painkiller. They are then monitored at the programmed investigations unit (PIU) at Fairfield General Hospital over a period of months and assessed for their levels of pain experienced. Other symptoms of their Parkinson’s Disease are also evaluated.

Commenting on the trial, Dr Raw said: “Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological condition which affects about 127,000 in the UK. The disease is associated with all manner of physical symptoms, including pain. This may be musculosketal or neuropathic, but it’s known to be one of the worst symptoms from the patient’s point of view. People also find that their movements become slower, they have tremors and rigidity.”

Dr Raw is thrilled that The Pennine Acute Trust was the first recruiter to the study within Europe. He added: “As this is a competitive study it is excellent that Pennine Acute Trust was quick off the mark to put the first patients forward. We have a target of 32 patients in the UK and as we have been so proactive in the recruitment stage, we expect to exceed our target.

“The patients have been recruited through movement disorder clinics within the Trust. We started it initially at Fairfield General and then branched out to Rochdale Infirmary and The Royal Oldham Hospital. Hopefully if the study shows a benefit of the drug in treating pain associated with Parkinson’s Disease, this can be disseminated through conferences and publications and so influence the treatment practice for the benefit of patients with Parkinson’s globally.”

Dr Steve Woby, head of research and development at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The Trust is actively involved in clinical research and this participation is essential to the continual quest for improvement in treatments and therapies for patients.

"Dr. Raw and his team, with excellent support from DeNDRoN, have really helped to establish the Trust as a place to conduct high quality research into Parkinson’s Disease.

"Only by conducting high quality research will we find out what treatments are most effective for patients.”

Patients with Parkinson’s Disease can take part in the trial via Dr Raw at Fairfield General Hospital, Dr Vassallo at The Royal Oldham Hospital and Dr Namushi at Rochdale Infirmary.