GMC Number: 3335228

Year of first qualification: 1989, University of Edinburgh

Specialty: Rheumatology

Clinical interest: Inflammatory arthritis, transition clinic, ultrasound

Secretary: Liz Emery

Telephone: 0117 414 2850

Dr Nicola Minaur is the lead for the Rheumatology Ultrasound Service and the Young Adult Rheumatology clinic at NBT.

• Encouraging patients to self-manage
• Adolescent rheumatology and transition
• Rheumatology service redesign

GMC Number: 4294942

Year of first qualification: MA (Hons) Cambridge University 1993, MBCHB University of Bristol 1996

Specialty: Neurology

Clincial interests: Neuromuscular disease; Motor Neurone Disease

Secretary: Claire Edwards

Telephone: 0117 414 6688

Dr Andria Merrison trained in Neurology and undertook subspecialist training in Neuromuscular Disease (in London & Oxford) and Intensive Care Medicine (in Bristol).

Her period of research, studying the muscle regenerating capacity of human bone marrow derived stem cells, led to being an awarded an MD in 2008.

Dr Merrison is the clinical lead for the South West Neuromuscular Operational Delivery Network and the Director of the Bristol MND Centre. These are both regional services offering holistic, specialist care as close to home as possible; crossing traditional boundaries of health and social care and organisational divides.

Dr Merrison is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a member of the Association of British Neurologists Neuromuscular Disease Specialist Interest Group; setting standards and publishing guidelines for the care of people living with Neuromuscular conditions in the UK.

Dr Merrison is a board member of the NHS England Neurosciences Clinical Reference Group and the South West Clinical Senate. She is also the NHS England Improving Value Lead for Neurosciences.

A wide range of endocrine and metabolic conditions are seen, including:

• Thyroid disease – thyrotoxicosis, complicated hypothyroidism, unexplained abnormal thyroid function tests, thyroid goitres & nodules if abnormal thyroid function.
• Calcium disorders and metabolic bone disease (other than osteoporosis).
• Vitamin D deficiency.
• Fluid balance & electrolyte disturbances (excluding renal failure): polyuria/polydipsia (not in diabetes), hyper/hypokalaemia, hyper/hyponatraemia, hypomagnasaemia.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome, oligo-amenorrhea, hirsutism, virilisation, male & female hypogonadism, gynaecomastia, galactorrhea, delayed puberty from age 16years and older,
  growth problems – short or tall stature.
• Pituitary disease: pituitary tumour, hypopituitarism, Cushing’s disease, acromegaly, prolactinoma, hyperprolactinaemia.
• Endocrine hypertension: mineralocorticoid hypertension, Conn’s sysndrome, phaeochromocytoma.
• Adrenal disease: Cushing’s syndrome, adrenal tumour / incidentaloma, hypoadrenalism, Addison’s disease.
• Hypoglycaemia not in diabetes.
• Sweating, flushing, turns suspected of having an endocrine cause.
• Multiple endocrine neoplasia.

The Endocrine Service works closely with a number of other specialties to provide a multi-disciplinary service for relevant patients with specialist endocrine conditions:

• Joint pituitary clinic, held fortnightly with pituitary neurosurgeons, for review of patients who may need pituitary surgery.
• Joint thyroid/ parathyroid clinic, held fortnightly with endocrine surgeons, for review of complex patients with thyroid or parathyroid problems.
• Diabetes/ endocrine antenatal clinic, held weekly with obstetricians, for review of pregnant women with endocrine (and diabetes) problems that require joint assessment.
• Joint adrenal clinic, held weekly with urological surgeons who provide adrenal surgery, for review of patients with adrenal disease who may require surgery.
• Endocrinology/ chemical pathology MDT (monthly), to discuss complex endocrine investigations and difficult to interpret endocrine tests
• A full range of dynamic endocrine tests are performed on the Medical Day Care unit.

GMC Number: 4214661

Year of first qualification: 1995, Edinburgh University

Specialty: Respiratory Medicine

Clinical interests:  Adult Respiratory Medicine & Interventional Pulmonology

Secretary: Lata Luchmun 

Telephone: 0117 414 2016

Email: Respiratoryadmin@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Andrew Medford has been a Consultant and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Thoracic Medicine at Southmead Hospital since 2009, following a post-CCT fellowship in interventional pulmonology in 2008 and a research doctorate in ARDS, completing CCT in 2007.

Dr Medford is the Clinical lead for North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and SW Cancer Network tertiary and regional Endobronchial Ultrasound service and Specialty Education Lead for Respiratory Medicine and Deputy Lung Cancer Lead.

He is Specialist Adviser to NICE on interventional procedures, as well as serving on the editorial boards of Thoracic Cancer and Respiration.

He is Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Infection International, a BMJ Learning Module Reviewer and on the RCPE Symposium Committee Panel having previously served as JRCPE Education Editor and member of the RCP Professional Affairs Board, BTS Standards of Care Committee and Interventional Procedures SAG.

His clinical interests include adult thoracic medicine (especially cough, pulmonary hypertension and non-CF bronchiectasis) with subspecialist expertise in advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy (endobronchial ultrasound & autofluorescence), interventional pulmonology, mediastinal disease, lung cancer and clinical coding.

His research interests include endobronchial ultrasound, clinical coding, VEGF lung biology, ARDS, ventilator-associated pneumonia and pleural disease.

Our Rheumatology Department is a multidisciplinary team consisting of Consultant Rheumatologists as well as Specialist Registrars training in Rheumatology, Specialist Pharmacists, Specialist Nurses, Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapists, Clinical Psychologists and Orthotics.

Consultant Rheumatologists

All our Consultant Rheumatologists are specialists in rheumatoid arthritis and other types of inflammatory arthritis.

Prof Emma Clark
General rheumatology and specialises in metabolic bone disease

Secretary – Jessica Goodwin – 0117 414 2849 – jessica.goodwin@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Lynsey Clarke (Clinical Lead)
General rheumatology and early inflammatory arthritis

Secretaries:
Southmead – Pamela Stone – 0117 414 2851 – pamela.stone@nbt.nhs.uk
Cossham – Caroline Reed – 0117 414 5140 – caroline.reed@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Harsha Gunawardena
General Rheumatology and specialises Connective Tissue Diseases and vasculitis. NMSK Clinical Director North Bristol NHS Trust.

Secretaries:
Southmead – Pamela Stone – 0117 414 2851 – pamela.stone@nbt.nhs.uk
Cossham – Caroline Reed – 0117 414 5140 – caroline.reed@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Philip Hamann
General Rheumatology, Early Inflammatory Arthritis and digital healthcare.

Secretaries:
Southmead – Elizabeth Emery – 0117 4142850 – elizabeth.emery@nbt.nhs.uk
Cossham – Caroline Reed – 0117 4145140 – caroline.reed@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Nicola Minaur
General Rheumatology and specialises in Young Adult care (transitioning from child to adult care) and musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Secretaries:
Southmead – Elizabeth Emery – 0117 414 2850 – elizabeth.emery@nbt.nhs.uk
Cossham – Caroline Reed – 0117 414 5140 – caroline.reed@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Sam Patel
General Rheumatology and specialises in vasculitis and Behcet's Syndrome and acute medicine. Medical Director, North Bristol NHS Trust

Secretary – Sarah Thomas – 0117 414 1140 – sarah.thomas@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr John Pauling
General Rheumatology and specialises in Connective Tissue Diseases and vasculitis

Secretary: Southmead – Pamela Stone – 0117 414 2851 – pamela.stone@nbt.nhs.uk
 

Dr Fang En Sin

General Rheumatology and specialises in vasculitis and giant cell arteritis (GCA)

Secretary - Wendy Parades Echevarria – 0117 414 2853 – wendy.paradesechevarria@nbt.nhs.uk

Prof Jon Tobias
Specialises in osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease

Secretary:
Southmead –Jessica Goodwin - 0117 414 2849 – jessica.goodwin@nbt.nhs.uk

Dr Sarah Villar
General Rheumatology and specialises in vasculitis and giant cell arteritis (GCA)

Secretary:
Cossham – Caroline Reed – 0117 414 5140 – caroline.reed@nbt.nhs.uk

Specialist nurses

You may see the Rheumatology Nurses and Specialist Pharmacist in an outpatient appointment. 

We have a nurse led rheumatology advice line which provides advice, support and information for patients in between hospital visits. We provide education about the disease process, medication, coping and self management, employment issues and injection technique. We can also coordinate with the wider multi-disciplinary team regarding any questions you may have.

We answer queries Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays. This is an answer machine service, please leave a message with your name, date of birth and contact number. We aim to return your call within 48 working hours but this may be longer during times of increased pressure. 

Alison Bayliss

Felicity Ferris

Elaine McCormack

Wendy Rees

Kreshma Summerhayes

Contact Rheumatology Advice Line: 0117 414 0600 (this is an answer machine service, please leave a message)
Email: rheumatologyadviceline@nbt.nhs.uk

If you need urgent advice out of hours then please call NHS 111

Administration Assistants

Harry Molton
Telephone: 0117 414 2855

Shantelle Walter
Telephone: 0117 414 1617

Lynsey Vining

Specialist Pharmacists

Emily Rose-Parfitt, Consultant Pharmacist

Nidhimol Matthews, Specialist Pharmacist

Ian Lau, Specialist Pharmacist

Telephone Rheumatology Advice Line: 0117 414 0600 (this is an answer machine service, please leave a message.)
Email: rheumatologyadviceline@nbt.nhs.uk

Physiotherapists

We run specialist group classes for people with ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis and other inflammatory conditions, as well as tailor-made one-to-one physiotherapy treatments. We provide information and advice about your condition, teaching you what symptoms to expect and how to manage them. We guide you how to recognise and manage a flare, when to rest and when to exercise, and how to modify activities to protect your joints. We will teach you safe stretching and strengthening exercises, to increase movement and strength and maintain function. There is a rheumatology gym and a hydrotherapy pool at Level 1, Southmead Hospital Bristol.

Rachel Lewis

Georgia Smyth

Charles sweet

Jack Wetherbee

Nicola Lewis

Physiotherapy Technicians:

Shane Griffiths

Ana Puentes Rodriguez  
Telephone: 0117 414 4413

Occupational therapists

We provide advice and aids to enable you to participate fully in everyday life activities. We run group and one-to-one patient education sessions in self-management skills like joint protection, pacing, energy conservation, and relaxation. We provide a specialist splinting service for patients with upper limb problems.

Jenny Philpott – Lead Occupational Therapist - Rheumatology

Louise Clements – Specialist Occupational Therapist – Ortho Hands

Joanna Bartlett – Occupational Therapist

Hannah Woodrow – Occupational Therapist

Joanne Freeth – Occupational Therapy Assistant

Email: OccTherapy.Rheum@nbt.nhs.uk   (we aim to return your query within 24 working hours)

If you do not have access to email and wish to talk to a member of our dedicated admin team you can call: 

General Therapies Admin on 0117 413131      or 

Occupational Therapy Admin on 07593 100286 

Appointment related queries can be emailed to 

YourOTAptChoice@nbt.nhs.uk

Clinical Psychology

Adjusting to an arthritis can be a challenge and may affect people emotionally at different times. Physical and emotional well-being are closely linked. If a person finds they are struggling emotionally, it may be useful to have some additional support from a Psychologist. This would be alongside the usual support from other members of the Rheumatology Team.

Psychologists can offer support with: self-management; coping with ongoing fatigue or pain; worries about taking medication; emotions that have become more of a problem, such as anxiety, low mood or anger; stress; relationship difficulties or work related difficulties. This might include thinking about other factors that might be impacting on physical and emotional well-being, such as bereavement or stress related concerns.

Dr Kate Druette, clinical psychologist
Dr Tijana Vranes, clinical psychologist
Dr Virginia Guy, counselling psychologist
Telephone: 0117 414 2855
Email: RheumatologyPsychology@nbt.nhs.uk

The purpose of the Diabetes Service is for problem solving of diabetes care and related problems, providing a plan and then discharge back to primary care. These clinics are not for routine care of uncomplicated diabetes. Sometimes, particularly with type 1 diabetes, longer term follow up to provide complex specialist diabetes care may be required. 

Routine diabetes care, such as annual diabetes complication reviews, is not provided by the specialist service and primary care must continue to provide this, even in patients under long term specialist care.

Indications for referral to these clinics include:

• In type 1 or insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, failure to achieve glycaemic targets despite all reasonable attempts.
• Recurrent or severe hypoglycaemia, hypoglycaemia unawareness.
• Diabetes due to other causes e.g. pancreatitis, genetic syndromes.
• Concerns about diagnosis or classification of diabetes.
• Poorly controlled blood pressure in diabetes despite three or more medications.
• Lipid problems in diabetes.
• Obesity in diabetes.
• Neurological problems in diabetes including painful neuropathy, gastroparesis and any other diabetes related complications.
• Renal impairment, proteinuria & nephropathy in diabetes.
• Medication problems in diabetes e.g. multiple intolerance of oral agents, insulin allergy.
• Patients on insulin pumps transferring from other centres.
• Patients requesting information regarding flash or continuous glucose monitoring systems.

It is helpful if you can prepare for all of your appointments with the Diabetes Service by:

1) Thinking about what you would like to discuss in your diabetes appointment. 
2) Ensuring you know what current medications and doses you are taking.
3) Bringing your blood glucose meter to clinic.
4) Uploading the data from your insulin pump and/or continuous glucose monitor ahead of your appointment (if applicable).

GMC Number: 4406129

year of first qualification: 1997

Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Clinical interests: Emergency Gynaecology and Medical education

Secretary: Alison Hodges

Dr Jane Mears trained in Bristol and the Southwest.

Dr Mears special interests are in gynaecology - she is the lead for emergency gyanecology and early pregnancy clinic.

Dr Mears has performed research into endometriosis (MSc) and has skills in laparoscopic surgery and outpatient hysteroscopy.

At a national level she is an active member of the council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The Young Person’s Diabetes Team acknowledges that living with diabetes can be challenging at times.  We aim to provide a service that looks at you as an individual. You will find us non-judgmental, supportive and understanding of the choices you make regarding your diabetes management. We understand that making changes can be challenging at times, and we aim to support you throughout this journey.

Although we know good blood glucose control is important, we also recognise this is difficult to achieve at times. We will work together to try to understand why your blood glucose levels might be high, so that you can make the changes which you feel may help.

The clinic is staffed by Consultants in Diabetes and Endocrinology, a Diabetes Specialist Nurse and a Diabetes Specialist Dietitian, all of whom are experienced in working with young people. We also work collaboratively with the clinical psychology team.

The diabetes consultants also join the Paediatric Diabetes Team in their clinic on Monday mornings. We meet young people transferring their care from the paediatric team to the adult team at this clinic. We work very closely with the paediatric team to ensure a smooth transition to the adult services.
As a team we can only assess how well things are going by your feedback.  We will take this seriously and encourage individual feedback at any time.
Thank you for attending our clinic and we look forward to working with you.

The young person's team and their contact details

Dr Fong Chau                      
Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology
Secretary Telephone: 0117 414 6419

Dr Vernon Parfitt  
Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology
Secretary Telephone: 0117 414 6419

Dr Danijela Tatovic
Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology
Secretary Telephone: 0117 414 6422

Dr Hassan Kahal
Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology
Secretary Telephone: 0117 414 6419

Nikki Davies
Diabetes Specialist Nurse

Faye Cochrane
Diabetes Specialist Dietitian
 

Young Persons’ Diabetes Clinic

Our young person’s clinic is held weekly on a Monday afternoon in Gate 12 of the Brunel Building. It starts at 12.00 and runs all afternoon.

GMC Number: 4327891

Year of first qualification: 1996, St George's Hospital Medical School

Specialty: Radiology

Clinical interest: All radiological modalities including Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT

Secretary: Niam Hamer

Telephone: 0117 414 9015

Dr Paul McCoubrie (MBBS BSc MRCP FRCR MEd FFRRCSI (Hon)) trained as a radiologist in Sheffield and Bristol.

He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists, a  member of the British Nuclear Medicine Society and a member of the Association for Medical Education.

He has a strong interest in medical education (MEd, University of Sheffield 2004). He is Head of Severn School of Radiology, previous Chair of first FRCR Anatomy Exam and internal University of Bristol examiner.

He is the Human Factors Advisor for the RCR (2015-2018). His research interests are varied including non-technical skills in radiology (communication, workflow, ergonomics), medical education in radiology and CT colonography.

His clinical interests include in imaging in Old Age, CT colonography, uroradiology (inc mpMRI prostate) and Nuclear Medicine / PETCT (ARSAC licence
holder)

hwww.bad.org.uk The British Association of Dermatologists.  Here there are many up-to-date patient information leaflets in the patient section.

http://dermnetnz.org This New Zealand website has excellent patient information leaflets with helpful pictures.

www.psoriasis-association.org.uk This website provides a wealth of information for those patients with psoriasis.

www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk An A to Z of skin disease is provided here.  This is the main charity in the UK for skin disease and funds a variety of projects including  skin cancer research.

www.eczema.org For eczema advice, eczema support and information on support groups contact the National Eczema Society. The charity offers advice on eczema treatments and various aspects of eczema management.