I trained in the North of England and I was a Consultant in General Medicine and Gastroenterology in Northumberland for 16 years before moving to New Zealand with my family in 2013 to take up a Consultant post in General Medicine and Gastroenterology at Waikato DHB. I am passionate about good clinical care and am valued for my clinical expertise, compassionate and empathetic approach to patients and families, listening skills and honesty.

Area of expertise:

I have over 26 years of gastroenterology experience in both luminal gastroenterology and general hepatology. This includes:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis)
• Coeliac disease
• Functional gastrointestinal disorders
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Anaemia
• Colorectal cancer
• Chronic liver disease including fatty liver disease, haemochromatosis, alcohol dependence, autoimmune liver disease and hepatocellular cancer
• Gastroscopy including oesophageal dilatation, PEG placement, oesophageal banding varices, polyp removal, management of acute GI bleeds
• Colonoscopy with polyp removal including endomucosal resection up to 4cm, chromoendoscopy, colonoscopic surveillance, National Bowel Cancer screener. My key performance indicators for colonoscopy are excellent, comfort scores good and I have had no major complications in the last 25 years.

Current employment:

• Consultant Physician in General Medicine and Gastroenterologist Waikato DHB.
• National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Clinical lead Waikato.

Qualifications:

• MBBS (Hons), B. Med Sci, Diploma Adolescent Medicine, MD, MSc, FRCP (London and Edinburgh), FRACP

Training:

• Undergraduate Degree University of Newcastle upon Tyne
• Physician training:
  • Newcastle Central Hospitals (RVI, Newcastle General Hospital and Freeman Hospital), Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  • Ashington General Hospital, UK
• Research Fellowship
  • Department of Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  • Freeman Hospital Newcastle upon Tyne

Memberships:

• Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London and Edinburgh)
• Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand
• The New Zealand Society of Gastroenterology
• The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Research:

I have completed an MSc in Transformational Leadership with a dissertation on patient participation in health service delivery. I have been involved with teaching and training of basic examination skills to undergraduates and quality improvement research, presenting papers in Australia and New Zealand on acute medical care, management of stranded patients, and quality improvements in IBD delivery.