Clinical Investigation of NMS Assist

Parkinson's can cause a wide range of non-motor symptoms (NMS), including pain and problems with mental health, memory and sleep. These affect the quality of life of people with Parkinson's (PwP) and their care partners (CP). If these issues are not recognised and managed quickly, they can result in escalating problems. Many PwP are unsure of the extent and variety of the NMS and how simple adjustments at home could improve them. We have developed a digital system, NMS Assist, to help PwP monitor their non-motor symptoms and develop skills to self-manage them. Such a tool needs to be simple to use, safe and effective. We will ask 60 PwP, CP and members of their Parkinson's healthcare team to use NMS Assist for 12 months, and we will monitor how they use the tool. PwP and CPs will be asked if they feel more knowledgeable and confident to manage their own symptoms whilst being better able to discuss a problem with their healthcare professional. A smaller group of the participants will discuss their experiences in more detail to help pinpoint aspects that work well and those needing adjustment and development. Members of the healthcare team will be asked to assess any improvement in communication with PwP and CPs. It is thought that the use of this system will result in improved quality of life and increased knowledge and confidence for managing symptoms while safely reducing the time spent by health care professionals on manageable non-motor symptoms.