A Service Evaluation of the Model of Care, Clinical Impact and Financial Feasibility of a Community-Based Movement Disorders Nurse Practitioner Service in a Metropolitan Australian Local Health District

Parkinson’s disease is complex, neurodegenerative condition and requires expert care. Patients in settings such as residential aged care facilities often have limited access to specialists. Nurse Practitioners in movement disorders provide clinically impactful care, including assessment, diagnosis, and prescribing, and offer financial sustainability through Nationally Weighted Activity Unit (NWAU)-based service delivery.

In Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD), a local health service within New South Wales (NSW), Australia, a position was established for a sole clinician operating as a community-based Nurse Practitioner in movement disorders. This role deliver care through residential aged care facility (RACF) visits, home visits, telehealth consultations, open-access clinics, and inpatient assessments.

Retrospective review of data from 51 patients with completed Clinical Global Impression–Severity (CGI-S) scores before and after receiving care from the movement disorder nurse practitioner service were analysed. Following the care received, a marked shift in patient severity transitioned from “markedly ill” to “moderately ill” was observed. There were also 54% showing at least minimal improvement on the Clinical Global Impression–Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Qualitative patient-reported experience measures indicated high satisfaction, with 87% somewhat to very satisfied.

The movement disorder nurse practitioner service delivered 2,741 occasions of service, generating AUD $873,322 in revenue, with an estimated average annual surplus of AUD $137,607 after NP salaries. These findings indicate that a structured NP-led community service can deliver measurable clinical benefit, improve access to specialist care, and operate sustainably, highlighting the value of NPs in workforce planning for chronic neurodegenerative disease management.