Meet our neurologists

Our team

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NEUROLOGIST

Dr Alvin Chew

Alvin is a stroke neurologist who currently works at John Hunter Hospital (Newcastle). He finished medical school at the University of Newcastle in 2010 and has been working in the Hunter New England Health district ever since. Alvin started his neurology training at John Hunter Hospital and at Canberra Hospital prior to pursuing a stroke fellowship at John Hunter Hospital.

Alvin is involved in multiple stroke clinical trials and has multiple publications in respectable journals.

At Newcastle Brain Centre consulting rooms, Alvin will focus on vascular neurology, managing stroke and TIA patients predominantly, while seeing a proportion of general neurology patients too.

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NEUROLOGIST

Dr Carlos Garcia-Esperon

Carlos is a stroke and vascular neurologist and currently the Director of the Acute Stroke Services at the John Hunter Hospital (Newcastle). His main area of research interest is access to stroke care in rural areas. While Carlos works primarily at the John Hunter Hospital, he also performs telehealth consults for patients in areas such as Manning Valley, Tamworth, Armidale and Moree.

At Newcastle Brain Centre consulting rooms Carlos will focus on vascular neurology and he will care for patients who have experienced stroke (ischemic or haemorrhagic) and TIA.

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NEUROLOGIST

Dr James Thomas

Dr Thomas is a general neurologist with interests in stroke medicine and headache. He completed his training at John Hunter and Liverpool Hospitals including a fellowship in stroke and neurophysiology. He is currently undertaking a PhD focussed on advanced stroke diagnostics. He has clinical appointments as a staff specialist at both Liverpool and John Hunter Hospitals.

Dr Thomas will be accepting general neurological consultations, including stroke, headache, vertigo, neuromuscular disorders, autoimmune disorders, epilepsy and concussion.

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NEUROLOGIST

Prof Mark Parsons

Professor Parsons is an internationally recognised leader in Stroke Medicine, and a highly sought-after speaker, instructor and mentor, both nationally and internationally, in all aspects of clinical Neuroscience. He is appointed as the inaugural Professor of Medicine and Neurology at UNSW South Western Sydney Clinical School. He is also a Conjoint Professor of Neurology at University of Newcastle.

Despite his academic achievements, Professor Parsons is first and foremost a clinician, and previously had a busy private practice Consulting in Neurology in Maitland, NSW (his home-town), and subsequently then in Melbourne. He holds current clinical appointments at John Hunter and Liverpool Hospitals.

Prof Parsons is a passionate general neurologist and will be accepting referrals for all neurological conditions.

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NEUROLOGIST

Prof Chris Levi

Prof Levi is the current director of the John Hunter Hospital Health and Innovation precinct. He has an extensive research and clinical portfolio, pioneering the development of the acute stroke service at John Hunter Hospital and as the lead investigator on several large international clinical trials.

Prof Levi has a strong interest in clinical and research aspects of stroke and concussion.