The Tissue Viability Service is nurse led and provides advice on the treatment of wounds. The team also advocates the practice of good skin care and pressure ulcer prevention within North Bristol NHS Trust.

At present we accept clinical referrals from acute clinical staff when they need advice on complex wounds, wound care or skin care protection and pressure ulcer prevention.

All the clinical wards within the Trust should have at least one member of staff who is a Link Nurse for Tissue Viability. Under this role they receive training on wound management, skin care and pressure ulcer prevention which they are asked to cascade down to their colleagues. Therefore, they should be able to offer advice and support in the first instance with any queries or concerns you may have. Tissue Viability Link Nurses are now seen as the gateway to the Tissue Viability Service, if they are unable to assist or further advice is sought then they will be able to liaise with the Tissue Viability Nurses on your behalf to ensure all queries are answered.

The Tissue Viability Service does not have specified criteria of what wounds we will formally review but will offer advice and support on any referral we receive, as well as formally reviewing the wound upon request and clinical judgment. If we feel the referral may be dealt with more effectively by another specialist team such as dermatology or vascular then we may offer advice and request the clinical staff to refer to the appropriate service.

Once we receive a referral from a clinical ward area we will aim to review the wound within three working days of receipt of the referral. When we visit the ward to review the patient, we will in the first instance review the patient’s medical and nursing notes to gain a full history. After which we will introduce ourselves to the patient in order to gain verbal consent prior to reviewing their wound. Following this review, we will liaise with the appropriate nursing or medical staff and advise them of an appropriate dressing regime, which incorporates appropriate skin care and pressure ulcer prevention advice where applicable. At this review, we may also make recommendations for referral to other specialties where we feel their advice or expertise maybe required to enhance patient care.

A vital branch of our Acute Care Department, our Anaesthetics Team deliver national and international multi-centre studies in Anaesthetics and related specialities, working to advance the care that we give to our patients.

At North Bristol NHS Trust, we provide safe Anaesthesia and expert Perioperative Care for around 100 surgical procedures a day. We are a regional specialist centre for major trauma, neurosurgery, renal transplant, vascular surgery, urology, plastic & burns. Our research focus on: 

• Improving outcomes for patients undergoing emergency surgery
• Improving outcomes for older surgical patients with multiple co-morbidities
• Understanding for which patients regional anaesthesia help to improve outcomes

 We run one of the largest preoperative assessment units in the UK and offer preoperative fitness assessment via Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET), evidence-based prehabilitation advice and access to research which aims to improve perioperative outcomes.

Please speak to the person treating you to find out if there is a research study that may be able to help you.

Current Studies:

PQIP

eFONA: Cognitive barriers in emergency front of neck airway study

Paused Studies:

Perioperative Quality Improvement Programme (PQIP)

The blood disorders research team at North Bristol NHS Trust co-ordinates and supports the delivery of clinical trials across a variety of haematological conditions including, myeloma, lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Our wide portfolio of cancer research makes us one of the largest cancer centres in the South West, with over 200 new blood cancer cases being diagnosed over the last year. Of this total, we currently have over 100 patients taking part in blood cancer trials at North Bristol NHS Trust.

In 2017 NBT was also designated a Myeloma UK Clinical Trials Network Accessory Site. This means that our patients are able to access to drugs that are not currently available on the NHS.

Please speak to the person treating you to find out if there is a research study that may be able to help you.

Current Studies:

UK ITP REGISTRY

RADAR (UK-MRA Myeloma XV)

Other Cancer Studies:

Identifying and validating molecular targets in nervous system tissue (IVMBT)

GMC Number: 6066342

Year of first qualification: 2011

Specialty: Radiology

Clinical interest: Breast radiology

Secretary: Janette Burnett

Telephone number: 0117 414 9014

Tuberculosis (TB) TB services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are provided in partnership with the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Clinics operate at both hospitals, supported by a multidisciplinary team of specialist TB nurses and a pharmacist.

Referrals for assessment for latent TB can be made routinely via the NHS electronic referrals system. Patients thought to have possible active TB should be referred urgently via eRS and a highlighted by a phone call to our secretary – we aim to see such cases within 1 week.

Hospitals referring complex or resistant TB should speak to the ID registrar on call via switchboard on 0117 9505050.

We have excellent links with other specialist teams to provide comprehensive management for TB inpatients and outpatients.

For more information about TB visit www.tbalert.org.

GMC Number: 4606156

Year of first qualification: 1999, Birmingham University

Specialty: Anaesthetics

Clinical interests: Obstetrics, colorectal and vascular surgery

Telephone: 0117 414 0966

GMC Number: 4304423

Year of first qualification: 1996

Specialty: Rheumatology & Osteoporosis

Clinical interests: General rheumatology, osteoporosis, metabolic bone disease

Secretary: Jessica Goodwin

Telephone: 0117 414 2849

Professor Emma Clark is active across all adult general rheumatology services.

Professor Clark has a particular clinical interest in osteoporosis and hypermobility. She runs a dedicated osteoporosis/metabolic bone disease clinic.

She leads on the vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) component of the DXA service.

She is also an active researcher through her post as Reader in Rheumatology, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol. She runs three research programmes: vertebral fractures, scoliosis and hypermobility.
 

Urology Clinical Research Lead

Jonathan Aning, Consultant Urological Surgeon. 
 

Researchers

Professor Paul Abrams, Consultant Urological Surgeon.
Professor Nikki Cotterill, Professor in Continence Care.
Andrew Gammie, Clinical Engineer
Preksha Kuppanda, Research Associate
Nicola Morris, Laboratory Research Manager
Alan Uren, Specialist Clinical Researcher

Data Administration

Samantha Kearley, Lead Data Administrator
Ruth Taylor, Data Administrator

Research Nurses

Rebecca Cousins, Lead Urology Research Nurse
Emily Perry, Urology Research Nurse
Marta Cobos-Arrivabene, Urology Research Nurse
Victoria Garner, Urology Research Nurse
Sophie Short, Urology Research Nurse
 

Consultants

Katherine Warren (Clinical Lead)
Salah Albuheissi 
Jonathan Aning
Stefanos Bolomytis
Helena Burden
Hugh Gilbert
Andrew Harris
Hashim Hashim
Motaz Hassan
Odunayo Kalejaiye
Frank Keeley
Anthony Koupparis
Su-Min Lee
Ahmed Mahrous
Aditya Manjunath
Caroline Ochoa Vargas
Raj Pal
Joe Philip
Farukh Qureshi
Edward Rowe
Ala'A Sharaf
Anthony Timoney
Tim Whittlestone
Zsuzsanna Zotter

Cancer Nurse Specialists

Cate Abbey
Helen Chilcott
Sarah Fletcher
Gillian Smith
 

Clinical Urology Nurse Practitioner

Rachel Skews

Urodynamics & Functional Urology Team

Professor Hashim Hashim (Director)
Carolina Ochoa Vargas
Ala'a Sharaf
Alex Bacon
Connie Chew (Nurse)
Dr Andrew Gammie (Clinical Scientist)
Anna Hassine
Shiby Priju (Nurse)
Dr Laura Thomas (Urodynamics Manager)
Rachel Tindle (Clinical Scientist)

Consultant Oncologists

Amit Bahl
Amar Chalapalli
Susie Masson
 

Prostate disease is the term uses to describe conditions that can affect the prostate gland.

These can be:

• prostate enlargement
• inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis) 
• prostate cancer 

Prostate enlargement

Prostate enlargement is a common condition especially in around a third of men over the age of 50.

If the prostate becomes enlarged it can put pressure on the urethra (a tube that runs from the bladder through the prostate) and make is difficult to pass urine

Symptoms of an enlarged prostate

• difficulty when starting to urinating
• weak flow of urine
• having to strain to pass urine
• peeing more frequently
• having to get up and pee at night

In the first instance it’s recommended that you reduce the amount you drink before bed to see if that eases the symptoms.
Medications, such as alpha blockers, are available to help reduce the size of the prostate and relax the prostate gland muscles.

Only if medication doesn’t ease the problems is surgical intervention an option. The inner part of the prostate gland that’s causing the blockage is surgically removed.

Find out more about prostate enlargement.

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is a condition where the prostate gland becomes inflamed. This can occur as a result of an infection although in most cases no evidence of infection is found.

Symptoms of prostatitis include:

• pelvic pain
• testicular pain
• pain when urinating (usually associated with a urinary tract infection)
• pain when ejaculating semen
• pain in the perineum (the area between the anus and back of the scrotum). This can be worse when sitting.

Prostatitis is treated by a combination of painkillers and medication known as an alpha-blocker.

Find out more about prostatitis.