Welcome to the North Bristol NHS Trust Endometriosis Centre.

Based at Southmead Hospital we are one of only 62 endometriosis centres in the UK that have been accredited by the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE).

We have a dynamic multidisciplinary team that have the experience and knowledge to provide high quality, evidence based, patient-centred care in a supportive environment.

Meet the team

The team consists of two Gynaecology consultants who have experience and expertise in endometriosis treatment, supported by our Endometriosis Nurse Specialist. When endometriosis is affecting the bowel or bladder, our colleagues in Colorectal Surgery and Urology provide us with support. For women with thoracic endometriosis, we work closely with colleagues in Upper Gastrointestinal and Thoracic Surgery. We also have close links with a pain specialist and pelvic health physiotherapist.

Miss Jessica Preshaw, Consultant Gynaecologist

Jessica Preshaw obtained a UK wide competitive entry advanced training post in endometriosis and minimal access surgery. Following completion of training in a nationally recognised BSGE Endometriosis Centre, she was appointed Consultant at Southmead Hospital 2018. She specialises in endometriosis, pelvic pain and advanced laparoscopic surgery.

Mr Islam Gamaleldin, Consultant Gynaecologist

Islam Gamaleldin completed a competitive entry advanced training post in endometriosis and minimal access surgery in a nationally recognised BSGE Endometriosis Centre. He specialises in endometriosis, fertility and advanced laparoscopic surgery.

Nicoleta Boingeanu, Endometriosis Clinical Nurse Specialist

Nicoleta is our Endometriosis Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has over 9 years’ experience working as a theatre nurse specialising in Gynaecology and more recently ENT, breast, plastics, and general surgery. She also worked in Intensive Care before then joining our Endocentre team. She provides holistic care and invaluable support to women with this condition.   She will be your main point of contact should you wish to seek advice or information at a time other than a scheduled appointment.

Miss Kathryn McCarthy, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon

Mr Frank Keeley, Consultant Urologist

Dr Shoba Philip, Consultant Radiologist

Dr Kat Ng, Consultant in Anaesthetics & Pain Medicine

Mr Dimitri Pournaras, Consultant in Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery

Mrs Eveline Internullo, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon

Information for patients

What happens at our clinic? 

Bartholins Abscess is an infection in one of the two Bartholin’s glands. They are just inside the labia and form lubrication. Bartholins Abcess can occur in about 2% of women, and they are usually on one side. Most commonly abscesses like this occur in women in their 20’s.

Some abscesses can be treated with antibiotics; but if symptoms persist and an abscess becomes large and painful, alternative treatment is needed. The types of treatment are:

• Conservative Management – antibiotics and await to see if the abscess improves
• Surgery
• Insertion of a catheter

Conservative Management
If an abscess does not improve on antibiotics, pain and swelling increases and without surgery infection will occur.

Surgery
Surgery involves a general anaesthetic and being asleep for about 20 minutes. Surgery is the most common treatment, and the one that we use at this hospital. It is usually performed as a day case
While you are asleep, the doctors will cut and drain the abscess. They will also stitch the cyst wall in a way that leaves an opening, so that the wound can drain and heal properly (this is called marsupialisation). The stitches will usually be dissolvable. Occasionally you will have a small bundle of gauze inside the wound, to prevent any bleeding; this is removed after a few hours, but at times an overnight stay may be required.
When you return to the ward, you will have small plastic tube in the back of your hand. This is called a venflon. This will stay in place until you are well enough to go home.

Catheter
An alternative to surgery that is well documented is use of a catheter insertion. This involves placing a small tube into the abscess site, and inflating a balloon, The abscess is drained and the balloon sits in place to allow the wound to heal from the base to the skin. Currently this is not used at Southmead Hospital Bristol. Recovery time is longer, with a catheter in place.

Deals with unplanned orthopaedic needs. Consultant surgeons operate and review patients in clinic all day, 7 days a week.

Acute Oncology Rapid Access Clinic

Access to MDTs and follow up and cancer of unknown primary. For patients with new diagnosis of cancer needing follow up and MDT discussion or cancer complications. 

Referrals should be discussed with an Acute Oncology Nurse by telephone: 07860 783116 (in hours) plus refer via ICE. 

New Cancer - Site Known

Referrals should be made via the relevant two week wait service. 

Energise & Exercise Programme

North Bristol NHS Trust Neurosurgery Department is located at Southmead Hospital Bristol.

Neurosurgery fax: 0117 4149479

It is a tertiary referral unit serving the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire in addition to the city of Bristol.

Contact

Neuro-Rehabilitation Lead Consultant
Dr Angus Graham
Telephone: 0117 9562697
Fax: 0117 9569941
Email: angus.graham@nbt.nhs.uk

Neuro-Rehabilitation General Manager
Mrs Diane Cornish
Telephone: 0117 4147530
Email: diane.cornish@nbt.nhs.uk

Clinical Neuropsychology is concerned with the assessment and rehabilitation / treatment of cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties occurring within the context of identified or suspected brain damage or neurological disease. The service provided is a neuropsychological one, i.e. medical responsibility for the care of the patient remains with their medical care provider.

Clinical Neuropsychologists at North Bristol NHS Trust are engaged along the entire pathway of care from acute neurosciences through to the community. They work with a number of specialist MDTs / services and see adult patients (18+) with a range of neurological aetiologies for their difficulties:

• brain injury
• stroke
• encephalitis
• brain tumours
• epilepsy
• neurodegenerative diseases
• genetic and metabolic conditions affecting the central nervous system 

Clinical Neuropsychology services can be accessed from primary care upon referral to the Department of Neuropsychology, Rosa Burden Centre, Donal Early Way, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB. Telephone for enquiries: 0117 414 0454.

Additional Clinical Neuropsychology services are available as part of the comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation services provided by the Frenchay Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation (inpatient rehabilitation) and the Head Injury Therapy Unit (community rehabilitation).

Other Clinical Neuropsychology services are offered within specialist teams including:

• stroke
• epilepsy surgery
• multiple sclerosis
• cognitive disorders (dementia) clinic.

Services for children with neuropsychological difficulties are provided by the Department of Paediatric Neuropsychology, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

A neuropsychological assessment

A neuropsychological assessment provides an objective way of characterising cognitive, emotional and behavioural symptoms. This process typically involves completing a number of different cognitive tasks and questionnaires. The process is not painful or unpleasant but may take a number of hours.

Typically a neuropsychological assessment might involve assessment of:

• Attention and concentration
• Verbal intellectual skills
• Visuospatial/Non-verbal reasoning and problem solving
• Working memory and mental flexibility
• Auditory memory
• Visual memory
• Language
• Processing speed
• Executive function
• Mood and anxiety / stress
• Test score validity

Results of an assessment are typically presented in report format and may also be discussed directly with the patient. 

The significance of the findings of the assessment in relation to the referral question, along with a short summary of the main findings, are typically briefly summarised at the end of the report.

Neuropsychological treatment

Where appropriate, treatment is offered to help improve or mitigate the impact of presented cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Within the Clinical Neuropsychology service this is provided within the framework of a brief goal-focused intervention model. Typically, this work involves aspects of cognitive rehabilitation, the implementation of strategies to compensate for cognitive problems and, where appropriate, brief psychological therapy interventions for associated psychological difficulties, typically within a cognitive-behavioural therapy framework.

Comprehensive post-acute multi-disciplinary neuro-rehabilitation, including neuropsychological input, is offered by the Frenchay Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation and the Head Injury Therapy Unit at Frenchay.

We currently accept paper referral letters, with full Clinical details, and have a structured form for Inpatient referrals. 

Download [attachments]

The department of Neuropathology at North Bristol NHS Trust provides the following services:

• Clinical neuropathology support for the neurosciences specialties
• Neurosurgical biopsy histology
• Diagnostic pathology of muscle and peripheral nerve, including in-house biopsy facilities
• Neuropathology autopsies
• Macroscopic assessment of fixed brain and spinal cord specimens
• Post-mortem neurohistology
• CSF cytology

For further information, download:[attachments]

Neuropathology Requesting

Neuropathology request forms are available from the Neuropathology department and should be completed in full.

Each request received by the laboratory is considered an agreement between the requestor and laboratory for provision of Neuropathology Services.

Refer to the Neuropathology User Manual for further details on requesting tests.

Neuropathology Reports

Reports are currently available on ICE and will be sent by secure email to the requesting Clinician. A hard copy of reports can be obtained by telephoning the departmental secretarial team.

Please visit www.nbt.nhs.uk/bnog for more information about services offered and referring a patient with a suspected or proven Brain or spine tumour to the Neuro-Oncology multidisciplinary team meeting.