Parkinson's Academy 'Star' made Neurology Clinical Director

Our sincere congratulations go to Dr Neil Archibald, one of our Parkinson's Academy alumni-turned-speaker, for his recent appointment to Clinical Director for Neurology and Stroke.

Archie, as he prefers to be known, is a consultant neurologist at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and has worked tirelessly to improve both care and education to those living with neurological conditions, or working in healthcare practice to support them.

His experience with a direct family member's own journey with Parkinson’s prompted his career in neurology after a brief foray into geriatrics, which was not quite the right 'fit'. However, the hallmark geriatrician approach to care - holistic and person-centred - stayed with him. It is that, and a strong motivation to ultimately ‘get care right’ for his patients, that has driven Neil to find unique solutions to the challenges he meets.

Archie was named amongst the 'stars' of Parkinson's Academy as part of its 16 year birthday celebrations. Highlighting his work in establishing a twice-award winning enhanced Parkinson's service, and his role as an 'honorary psychiatrist' - his solution to getting Parkinson's patients access to antipsychotic medication in a timely fashion - Archie is hailed as a lateral thinker and problem solver.

One of his recent endeavours has been an educational website and podcast called 'TeesNeuro', in partnership with two of his local colleagues. Aimed at anyone who is 'as curious as us about how the brain works, and why it sometimes doesn’t', the site and all its information is friendly, informative, accessible and current.

Neurology Academy is thrilled to hear of Archie's promotion to Clinical Director. We are certain that he will bring the same compassion, creative thinking, humour and perseverance to this role as he has done in every other to date.