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Dr Julie Jones, Associate Dean with the School of Health Sciences, won the 鈥楶eople鈥檚 Choice鈥� award, which was selected by people with Parkinson鈥檚 at the 2023 Parkinson鈥檚 Excellence Network Awards.

Dr Jones, who will graduate with a PhD next month, was also part of the winning team for the 鈥楥ommunity Support鈥� award, presented to the Exercise Hub, which is a national education and peer support network for professionals, enhancing the community exercise experience for people with Parkinson鈥檚.

Hosted at Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Wednesday 22 November, the biannual Parkinson鈥檚 Excellence Network Awards celebrate outstanding health and social care services for people with Parkinson鈥檚.

Dr Jones said: 鈥淭his is a fantastic honour and what makes it so special is that the Parkinson鈥檚 community, who I know well through my work, have had their vital say in myself picking up the People鈥檚 Choice award. A huge thank you to the Parkinsons community, it is fantastic to work with such an inspirational, and motivated group of people all united in a common cause. Through working with the Parkinson鈥檚 community I have been very fortunate to meet so many amazing people, who motivate me in my role to lead service improvements for this community. Thank you also to Parkinson鈥檚 UK and the Excellence Network for all your support, without which I wouldn鈥檛 not be here today.

鈥淭he added bonus is winning the Community Support award alongside my colleagues from the Exercise Hub which is brilliant and highlights another important resource of information for the people living with Parkinson鈥檚. With my Co-lead of the Exercise Hub Beccy Olliver, we aim to support exercise professionals nationally, raising the standards of care provided for people with Parkinson鈥檚. I am thrilled to have won these awards tonight and I hope my involvement can help shine a light on Parkinson鈥檚 and the research being carried out to better understand it.鈥�

Recently appointed Associate Dean for Economic Development and Community Engagement at 亚博体育官网, Dr Jones is also involved with the North of Scotland Parkinson鈥檚 Research Interest Group and is co-lead of the Exercise Hub.

Julie also co-hosts the popular North of Scotland Parkinson鈥檚 Research Interest Group podcast, which launched earlier this year with the aim of increasing involvement in research and highlighting the breadth of Parkinson鈥檚 research taking place across Scotland. Dr Jones鈥� Parkinson鈥檚 academic work ties in with 亚博体育官网鈥檚 strategic aim of research and knowledge exchange with particular focus on health and wellbeing.

Dr Rowan Wathes from Parkinson鈥檚 UK described Julie as a 鈥減owerhouse鈥� while announcing her as winner of the 鈥楶eople鈥檚 Choice鈥� award at the Parkinson鈥檚 Excellence Network Awards.

鈥淪he is on a constant quest to improve care and support for people with Parkinson鈥檚. Not just those directly under her care, but for others across the UK.

鈥淲hat makes her stand out is that, at her core, she genuinely cares for people with Parkinson鈥檚. She is in their corner,鈥� said Dr Wathes.

 and she recently completed her PhD exploring the feasibility and acceptability of a collaborative approach to exercise for people with Parkinson鈥檚.