Outpatient clinics are mostly based within the Avon Orthopaedic Centre (AOC) at Southmead Hospital Bristol. However, some appointments are also available at Cossham Hospital.
All GP referrals from the Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas are initially triaged by the Musculo-skeletal Assessment and Treatment Service
The North Bristol NHS Trust Avon Orthopaedic Centre (AOC) at Southmead Hospital Bristol is a centre of excellence in the South West.
It is the largest orthopaedic centre in the region and has an international reputation for hip and knee surgery, carrying out 1,000 knee replacements a year.
With 745 members of staff, it provides an extensive joint replacement service for both routine and complex joint replacements, in particular revision arthroplasty hips, knees, ankles and shoulders as well as upper limb surgery.
The AOC is also home to a specialist foot and ankle service recognised as a national and international base of expertise.
In addition to clinical work, the Avon Orthopaedic Centre has a strong partnership with Bristol University in researching Orthopaedic Surgery, led by Professor Ashley Blom.
This page has services and resources that you may find useful. This is not an exhaustive list and may not be suitable for everyone.
Support for parents and families of premature or very poorly babies, with information on being a parent on the neonatal unit.
For babies born premature or sick | Bliss
Supporting families (including siblings) with a very poorly child. Also includes a continued service at home.
Supporting Children and Families | Rainbow Trust Children's Charity
A group of parents and carers with lived experience of caring for a child who has been admitted to any of the 12 neonatal units in southwest England.
South West Neonatal Network (swneonatalnetwork.co.uk)
Maternal mental health and wellbeing support, advice, and information to women/birthing people.
Mothers for Mothers | Postnatal mental health support
Supporting and celebrating Black pregnancies across Bristol (and the UK).
Black Mothers Matter
Offering migrated mothers holistic and compassionate support during pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.
Project MAMA
Support for LGBT+ women and people during the perinatal and neonatal journey.
LGBT Mummies
Providing one to one support, antenatal outreach, and online resources for fathers during the first 1001 days of their parenting journey, with support for dads suffering with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.
Bristol – Dad Matters
Supporting parents who have experienced birth trauma.
The Birth Trauma Association
Supporting families with twins, triplets or more through every milestone.
Twins Trust | Twins Trust - We support twins, triplets and more.
Support for the whole family, including siblings, from admission to the neonatal unit and beyond.
Spoons Charity - Neonatal Family Support
Supporting families (including siblings) with a very poorly child. Also includes a continued service at home.
Supporting Children and Families | Rainbow Trust Children's Charity
A series of online videos with information about a stay in neonatal care and preparing to take your baby home.
Home (nicufoundation.co.uk)
A series of bite-size films about birth, expressing, holding your baby in NICU, preparing for home and beyond.
Small Wonders | Best Beginnings
A free online course designed to help parents learn about their baby’s development, understand their needs and read their cues, and support for emotional wellbeing.
Understanding Your Child (heiapply.com)
Support for parents, families and friends of those who have experienced HIE (hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy).
Peeps HIE Charity | HIE Awareness & Support (peeps-hie.org)
Support for families of children with undiagnosed genetic conditions.
SWAN UK (Syndromes Without A Name) - Genetic Alliance
Support for parents following baby loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, and neonatal death.
Saving babies' lives - Charity for Babies | Tommy's (tommys.org)
Offers support and information to parents and families affected by the death or life-limiting illness of a baby or child, infertility, pregnancy loss or difficult decisions relating to pregnancy.
Support For Grieving Families - The Bluebell Foundation
Specialist counselling for parents who have experienced loss, including stillbirth and neonatal death (professional referral only).
Petals, The baby loss counselling charity - Petals Charity
Support for parents and immediate family after a sudden and unexpected death of a child, including bereavement support, counselling, play therapy for siblings & support groups.
Home - 2 Wish
Safe space for bereaved families to grieve and find support following the death of a baby.
Sands | Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families.
Help and support for children, young people, parents and their families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.
Child Bereavement UK
Supporting families during and after the loss of a twin, triplet or multiples.
Home | Skye High Foundation (theskyehighfoundation.com)
A charity supporting children to find their feet when their worlds are turned upside down by grief. Support for their families with professionals involved.
Winston's Wish - giving hope to grieving children (winstonswish.org)
There to support every family in the city with children up to 19 (or 25 with special educational needs and disabilities). Brings together all the things a family may need in one place.
Bristol Family Hubs
Support, friendship, and practical help to parents of young children.
Home-Start Bristol and South Gloucestershire | Supporting families in Bristol and South Gloucestershire (homestartbsg.org.uk)
Offers group support for new parents, running for 10-12 weeks in Children’s Centres across Bristol, for parents and pre-crawling babies.
Rockabye
Service dedicated to promoting, protecting, and enhancing the rights of pregnant women, new mothers and their families to employment, social security and healthcare.
Home - Maternity Action
Evidence-based psychological therapies for people struggling with depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress. Mothers in the perinatal period are currently prioritised on the waiting list. Can self-refer or be referred via GP.
NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
If you are struggling with mental health difficulties or finding it hard to get through your normal daily activities as a result of any of the above issues, please speak to a trained health professional, such as your GP.
If you are having any thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please immediately contact your GP, call 111 (option 2) or call 999. Alternatively, please attend your local emergency department.
© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published April 2025. Review due April 2025. NBT003723.
Parents can be with their baby 24 hours a day. Handover of care generally takes half an hour and commences at 7.30am and 7.30pm. Medical ward round commences at 8.30 am. Parents are welcome to join all handovers and the medical review of their baby. When coming to the unit enter through the main Mendip Maternity Reception. Parents can have access to NICU with our finger print device which can be offered as a way of access for parents to maintain high security levels but easy access to their infants. Mobile phones can be used on the unit but must be placed on silent and phone calls taken outside of the nurseries in the main corridors to reduce noise within the rooms. While your baby is on NICU we can use a system called V-CREATE to send photos and videos of your baby so you stay in contact even when you are off the unit to help you feel connected and reassured.
We recommend that you do not bring large numbers of visitors to see your baby however we appreciate the importance of your family network for support. Visiting times are 12noon – 7pm and must be over 14 years old. The maximum number of visitors is two at any one time, with a parent accompanying them. All parents and visitors whose babies are in NICU should please ring the bell in the corridor before entering unless they arrive with a parent who has fingerprint access. Please leave outdoor coats on the coat hooks by the entry door, keeping all your valuables with you.
We encourage parents and siblings to interact with their new baby as quickly as possible. Your baby will recognise your voice and skin to skin holding is beneficial to both you and your baby. Nurses will support you to care for your baby’s needs as much as possible. We ask other visitors not to touch babies due to their immature immune systems; we feel it is better for them to wait until the baby is well and at home.
Breastfeeding your preterm infant is still possible; in fact, we encourage you to provide breast milk for your baby. Until your baby is able to breastfeed, you will need to establish a milk supply by expressing your breast milk with a pump or by hand. Your milk can then be stored until required. Pre-term babies can begin to suck from the breast after about 33 weeks gestation. While developing their sucking and swallowing technique they can tire easily and may appear to play at the breast either licking or taking a few sucks before falling asleep. This is a normal process. You will be supported by our nursing team and breastfeeding advisors to assist and advise you in establishing successful breastfeeding. Pre-term babies are fed via a naso or orogastric tube until they are able to establish either breast or bottle feeding.
Your newborn baby may need to be monitored closely and may need to receive intravenous fluids or drugs. A great deal of the equipment you will see around your baby is routine – ECG leads on your baby’s chest assist us in monitoring his heart rate and breathing and the probe with a light, possibly on his foot or wrist, allows us to monitor how much oxygen is circulating in his blood. Please ask the nurse caring for your baby to explain the equipment to you; he/she will be more than happy to do this.
Every member of our team would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, so please feel relaxed in approaching us. We will do all we can to answer your questions and queries.
We usually say, aim for your due date. Babies born nearer their full term may be home before this time. Some very premature babies may still need to be looked after in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit beyond their due date. Normally we expect that your baby will be feeding either by breast or bottle and gaining weight and without medical concerns.
You may be introduced to one of our neonatal community nurses prior to your baby’s discharge. If this is the case you will be invited to a discharge planning meeting whereby your family needs in preparing for home will be discussed. The community neonatal nurses’ normally visit once or twice a week and become less frequent as your needs require. If you do not need our community team involvement your health visitor will be your main support once you are home. They will have been updated on your baby's treatment during your stay in NICU and on discharge. Health visitors should visit you at home within 48 hours of your discharge. Your baby will then be followed up regularly at their clinic.
Telephone: 0117 4146800
Management Team
The trauma service is led by Mr James Murray, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Ms Maggie Alger, Trauma Matron, and Anna Blake, Trauma Manager.
Consultant Surgeons
The Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons are split into four teams and work collaboratively across the wards, theatres and clinic.
Team A - Mondays
Mr Packham
Mr Robinson
Mr Katsimihas
Team B - Tuesdays
Mr Webb
Mr Murray
Mr Kelly
Mr Ward
Mr Winson
Team C - Wednesdays
Mr Eastaugh-Waring
Mr Hepple
Mr Porteous
Mr Baker
Team D - Thursdays
Mr Harries
Mr Chesser
Mr Crowther
Mr Harding
Mr Acharya
Friday to Sunday teams are rotated across the surgeons.
Spinal Team
Mr Hutchinson
Mr Nelson
Mr Harding
Mr Katsimihas
Orthogeriatricians
Trauma inpatients – particularly those with fractured neck of femur – receive intensive expertise and support from Consultant Orthogeriatricians. Karen Harding and Seema Srivastava both provide this service.
Sisters
The trauma ward is led by a senior nurses.
Yvonne Iles
Roger Mann
Teresa Hardy – Fracture Clinic
The trauma clinic is split to see new patient referrals in the morning and follow-ups in the afternoon.
New referrals are seen every morning in the New Fracture Clinic by the consultant on call and there is a New Fracture Clinic every day. This clinic is run by appointment only. Outside of working hours the reception staff in the Emergency Department can make appointments for patients if necessary.
Follow-up patients are seen in the afternoons and each team sees their patients on a different afternoon.
Follow up patients are not seen at any other time unless specifically directed by the Consultant and after discussion with the Nurse in Charge.
Although you were reviewed in the Emergency Department yesterday, you have now been referred for a specialist orthopaedic review. You will see a Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon who will formulate a definitive treatment plan.
The number of visits you will have to make will depend on your injury and the treatment plan arranged by your consultant. On average, most people have one new appointment and two follow ups, but this is completely depending on individual circumstance.
The trauma department use x-ray’s to determine fracture position initially rather than bone healing. Therefore, you will have an x-ray in the Emergency Department and possibly another at your follow up appointment although this is not always the case.
You will be seen as close to your appointment time as possible. However the fracture clinic deals with a highly fluctuating workload and as such it is difficult to guarantee waiting times particularly during times of high demand.
Not necessarily, you are under the care of a team of specialist orthopaedic surgeons who work closely together.
Yes, please inform the receptionist on your arrival, and you will be sent one in the post.
If you need an operation, a date for admission will be arranged as quickly as possible. This might be on the day of your clinic attendance or soon after. How soon you are operated on will depend on operating lists, the nature of your injury and the amount of demand.
Yes, but please be aware that seating in the waiting room is limited, so please try to only bring one relative or friend.
Our neonatal team consists of Doctors, Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners, Sisters, Junior Sisters, Registered Nurses, Nursery Nurses, Receptionists, Housekeepers and Domestics, with the addition of Neurological Surgeons, Ophthalmologists, Dieticians, Speech and Language Therapists as the need arises.
A nurse on his/her shift may be responsible to care for one or two Intensive Care babies or two High Dependency babies or up to four or five Special Care babies, actual numbers may vary depending on a mix of babies dependency needs.
Director of Midwifery & Head of Nursing
Julie Northrop
Divisional Operations Director
Claire Weatherall
Specialty Director
Dr Faith Emery
Consultants
Neonatal Consultants are the most senior doctors and head a team of other doctors and nurse practitioners. They have overall responsibility for babies on the unit. Each consultant has their own areas of particular interest, and lead a ward round each day when the management and care of the baby is discussed.
Dr Paul Mannix
Dr David Evans
Dr Madhavi Parvathareddy
Prof Charles Roehr
Dr Claire Rose
Dr Maria Tsakmakis
Dr Richard Wach
Dr Katie Farmer
Amiel Billetop
Dr Daniella Vieten-Key
Dr Libuse Pazderova
Erica Van Den Berg
Fran Hofmann
Manal El-Bokle
Clinical Matron
Amy Purnell
Developmental Care Team
Kathy Jackson
Rachael Stowell
Practise Development Sister
Claire Johnson
Practice Development team
Anna Kendal
Neonatal Infant feeding specialist
Cathy Budd
Feeding support advisor
Jo Holt
Neonatal Community Liaison Sisters
Caroline Burgess
Paula Brock
Helen Slocombe
Lisa Ramsey
Nazzi Farzinkia
Telephone: 0117 4146800
The fracture clinic is a busy department which sees thousands of patients a year. It is led by a team of consultants with a team of registered nurses, healthcare assistants, plaster technicians and clerical staff.
There are two areas within the fracture clinic – the Clinic area and the Plaster Room at Southmead Hospital Bristol.
The Orthopaedic Trauma Department at Southmead Hospital Bristol deals with unplanned orthopaedic needs.
Consultant surgeons operate and review patients in clinic 7 days a week.
The Trauma Service accepts a wide range of emergencies from local fractures to complex polytrauma.
The Trauma Service is a centre of excellence and offers specialist: