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When he was diagnosed with the incurable, progressive neurological condition Parkinson’s Disease at the age of just 41, Simon Laverick, 47 “allowed himself a fortnight to cry”.

But now he believes the diagnosis was just part of a new chapter in his life. At the start of Parkinson’s Awareness Week, he shares his inspirational story in a bid to give hope to other sufferers – and say thank you to the Parkinson’s Advanced Symptom Unit (PASU) that has been a “lifeline”.

A new ‘navigational’ model which will direct patients away from Accident and Emergency in a bid to focus resources on those in need of urgent care will be launched at The James Cook University Hospital. From Saturday (1 April 2017), Patients will be assessed on arrival at the department by a senior nurse and if they do not require emergency care, they will be redirected to the most appropriate primary care services in the community.

Patients are reminded that Redcar Minor Injury Unit opening times will change from this Saturday (1 April 2017). The MIU at Redcar Primary Care Hospital will open from 8am to 9.30pm, seven days a week – including access to x-ray.

Playdays Day Nursery at The James Cook University Hospital has been rated ‘Good’ after its most recent Ofsted inspection.

From 1 April 2017, NHS South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group will introduce a number of changes to urgent care to make it easier and more convenient for patients living across Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland to access GP appointments seven days a week.

A PASSIONATE Parkinson’s team of hospital staff from across two Teesside trusts has been honoured for a second time, following the success of a groundbreaking new unit. The Parkinson’s Advanced Symptom Unit (PASU), based at Redcar Primary Care Hospital, is the first of its kind in the UK, combining the expertise of clinicians from South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with mental health specialists from Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

Mal, 51, of Hartlepool had to be fed through a tube in his stomach but thanks to a pioneering procedure developed at The James Cook University Hospital called a Rendezvous Dilatation, he is now able to eat and drink almost normally again.

Olivia Fairclough hit the headlines last year when she was left paralysed following a horse riding accident in Egypt and her brother Trevor launched a fundraising campaign to get her home. On hearing about Olivia’s situation on BBC Tees, Professor Stephen Bonner, clinical director of critical care, contacted Trevor and offered to help with the repatriation.

Eye patients at The James Cook University Hospital can now undergo a procedure to strengthen their cornea at the Middlesbrough hospital. This advanced procedure, known as corneal collagen cross-linking, is used to treat a progressive corneal condition called Keratoconus which affects young people.

MRI scans are to be used as the first investigation for the diagnosis of prostate cancer from Monday 23 January 2017 at The James Cook University Hospital. This means any man referred to the Middlesbrough hospital with high PSA levels, which suggest prostate cancer might be present, will have an MRI scan, followed by a biopsy whereas previously they would have the biopsy first.