Specialty: Cellular Pathology

GMC Number: 6160446

Year of first qualification: 2006, Bristol

Specialty: Dermatology

Clinical interests: Inflammatory dermatology, dermoscopy of skin lesions, skin cancer and minor surgery, vulval dermatology

Secretary: Carole Wathan

Telephone number: 0117 414 7621

Dr Helen Audrain is currently the clinical lead for dermatology at North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT).

British Association of Dermatologists
British Society for the study of Vulval Diseases BMA MRCP (UK) 

The Clinicians section includes key information on meeting and events, key network policies and procedures as well as the latest clinical reports and dashboards from TARN.

Year of first qualification: 2003, University of London

Specialty: Upper GI Surgery

Clinical interests: Laparoscopic (keyhole) abdominal surgery including: Bariatric Surgery, Hiatal Surgery (Reflux disease), Biliary disease (gallstones), Hernia Surgery

Secretary: Kate Hewings

Telephone: 0117 414 0837

Mr James Hopkins is currently the Clinical Lead for GI Emergency Surgery at North Bristol NHS Trust.

Mr Hopkins MA DPhil FRCS completed his post-graduate medical training at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital, University of London in 2003. Prior to medical school he completed an undergraduate degree and doctorate in Biochemistry and Metabolism at the University of Oxford (1990 – 1997) and was a Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston MA from 1998 – 2000.

After medical school Mr Hopkins completed basic surgical training in the London Deanery (Imperial College 2005 – 2008), higher surgical training in the Wessex Deanery (2008 – 2015) with a concurrent clinical lectureship at the University of Southampton (2011 -2015) completing sub-specialist training at the Solent Centre for Digestive Diseases at QA hospital Portsmouth – specialising in bariatric surgery, and obtaining his CCT in 2015. Following this he undertook a post-CCT Bariatric surgery fellowship at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton before joining North Bristol NHS Trust.

His specialist interests are in laparoscopic (keyhole) abdominal surgery, in particular the management of gallstone disease, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and all types of hernias. Mr Hopkins has a specialist interest in Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction for complicated or recurrent hernias. He is also a fully trained Bariatric (weight-loss) surgeon having completed a sub-specialist and fellowship training. He offers a range of operations for severe and complex obesity including gastric band, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy within the team at NBT. 

Mr Hopkins has an interest in clinical outcomes research and has been the lead in the in the development of a Core-Outcome Set for Bariatric Surgery (the BARIACT Project) as part of the ByBandSleeve randomised controlled trial. Mr Hopkins is the NBT site Principle Investigator for the ByBandSleeve multicentre RCT. He is a member of the National Bariatric Surgery Registry data committee, with responsibility for the NBSR.co.uk website, and was an advisor on the 2012 NCEPOD enquiry into bariatric surgery – Too lean a service?

Mr Hopkins is a member of Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, ASGBI, British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (of which he recently completed his tenure on BOMSS Council).

If you would like to view independent feedback visit www.iwantgreatcare.org/doctors/mr-james-hopkins-1 If you would like to leave your own feedback visit http://iwgc.net/egwgw

The Bristol Neuromuscular Research Group is a team of doctors, healthcare professionals and scientists who are committed to improving the lives of individuals with neuromuscular conditions through research.  The group has been in existence since 2009 and has gradually been increasing its portfolio of high quality research.  It is now in the process of consolidating and expanding its research work in an effort to become a world class centre of excellence for neuromuscular research in the South West.

The research group is part of the University of Bristol's School of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Neurosciences.  It also works closely with the SW Neuromuscular ODN in order to ensure research is embedded into daily NHS clinical practice. 

Further information about the Bristol Neuromuscular Research can be found on the University of Bristol's website.

This information is correct as of December 2025.

Important: We cannot support you to create your own voice or message bank. If you have already created a digital voice or have messages, we can use them on our communication devices. 

For help with voice or message banking, please contact your local speech and language therapist.

What is voice banking?

Voice banking is making a digital version of your voice. You do this by reading sentences aloud and recording them using voice banking software.

If you have a condition that may affect your speech over time, we recommend you bank your voice as early as possible. The earlier you do it, the better the quality of the digital voice.  

If voice banking is not possible then there are other options. Some software allows you to ‘repair’ your voice, ‘blend’ it with a voice donor (like a family member or friend) or create an individual digital voice. Some software also allows you to upload past videos and voice recordings to create a digital voice. 

Most voice banking software allows you to record your voice for free, and only pay when you download the voice. AAC WEST cannot help with funding for voice banking, but your local speech therapist can support you to seek funding from charities to download your voice. 

Can my communication aid use my voice?

If you have created your digital voice and have secured funding for it, then our team can add it to a device. This means that the device will then speak using your digital voice. Not all voice banking software is compatible with all AAC software. We will need to check this.

What is message banking?

Message banking is an option that allows you to pre-record messages for later use. These can be words, phrases, sentences, sounds and stories. 

Can I have my recorded messages on my communication aid?

Yes. AAC WEST can upload these messages onto your device, so they can be played whenever you’d like.

How can I document my wishes for managing my digital data in the future?

A helpful way to plan what happens to your digital data in the future is by creating a digital legacy. This is the ‘electronic footprint’ that includes your online accounts, photos, videos and other digital content. 

You can document your wishes by:

1. Listing all your digital assets – such as your email, social media accounts, cloud storage and any important files. 
2. Deciding what you would like to happen to each – whether you would like them to be delete, saved or shared.
3. Choosing someone you trust to carry out your wishes.
4. Writing down your wishes and instructions – this can be part of a formal plan or kept in a secure place where your chosen person can access it when needed. 

For more information about creating a digital legacy please visit the Digital Legacy Association website. 

Useful links

• SpeakUnique
• ElevenLabs
• ModelTalker
• Acapela
• CereProc - CereVoiceMe
• MND Association (MNDA) 
• MSA Trust 
• Digital Legacy Association 

© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published December 2025. Review due December 2028. NBT003837.

This videos provides an introduction to the kinds of access methods and technologies available to those using AAC. Whilst the videos are for the most part aimed at those with a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease, all access methods and technologies featured are available to those referred to BCAS. Choices will be made during an initial assessment as to what kind of technology is appropriate.

For the right individual, Switch Scanning is a simple yet highly effective way of navigating your chosen communication programme. This access method is achieved by means of gross or fine body movement, where the pressing of a switch controls selections –the individual hits the switch when the target item is highlighted onscreen. Switches can also come in a variety of forms and sizes that cater for different body movements, such as pressing the switch with the hand or the head.

This videos provides an introduction to the kinds of access methods and technologies available to those using AAC. Whilst the videos are for the most part aimed at those with a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease, all access methods and technologies featured are available to those referred to BCAS. Choices will be made during an initial assessment as to what kind of technology is appropriate.

A head mouse is ideal for clients who require hands free communication. With just slight movements of the head, access to sentence building opens up a new world of personalised communication – all hands free. The movement of the head mouse is tracked on the screen, and may be used like an ordinary mouse to select icons on the device.