People with Parkinson's disease do not always get access to specialist help, according to a poll out today.

Four in 10 have not spoken to a specialist nurse in the last year, the largest ever survey carried out on sufferers revealed.

And more than a quarter of those questioned with the disease have never talked to a Parkinson's disease nurse specialist (PDNS).

This is despite the fact the nurses offer vital support and can help people manage their symptoms, according to the Parkinson's Disease Society.

Around 120,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's, a progressive neurological disorder which can affect speech and movement.

The charity carried out the survey on UK patients to launch Parkinson's Awareness Week.

It also found that three in 10 people diagnosed with Parkinson's in the last year did not believe they were given clear information about their condition or medication at the time of diagnosis.

Almost half (47%) said they still wanted more information.

The charity said that, while there is a trend towards more people being diagnosed by a specialist, one in five people were still diagnosed by their GP in the last year.

Access to therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy is improving, it said.

But most patients are still not being assessed for or receiving therapies to help them manage their condition.

Steve Ford, chief executive of the Parkinson's Disease Society, said: "Specialist care is vital for people with Parkinson's and our survey reveals that whilst there have been a number of improvements across the UK, many people are still being let down by their local services from the time of diagnosis onwards.

"There is an urgent need to improve services so that every person with Parkinson's gets access to the expert help they need at diagnosis and whenever they need it throughout the course of their condition.

"Parkinson's disease nurse specialists are fantastic for patients and there is simply no excuse for any of the 120,000 people with Parkinson's in the UK to be missing out on their support."