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 
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 (Clinical Lead)
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

Dr Shalini Janagan
General rheumatology and specialises in metabolic bone disease, Young Adult rheumatology and connective tissue 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.

GMC Number: 3545214

Year of first qualification: 1991, London

Specialty: Anaesthetics

Clinical interest: Anaesthesia for neurosurgery, trauma and plastic surgery

Secretary: Anaesthetic department

Telephone: 0117 414 5114

Dr Sarah Martindale qualified in London at St Marys Hospital in 1991 before completing training in anaesthetics in Oxford and Bristol in 2002.

Dr Martindale is the North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) lead for NCEPOD and has an interest in medical law & ethics.

She is also one of the consultants involved in preoperative assessment and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Dermatology Consultants

Dr Amrit Darvay   
Secretary: Dot Phillips                            
Telephone: 0117 4147596

Dr Helen Audrain (Lead Clinician)        
Secretary: Carole Wathan
Telephone: 0117 4147621

Dr Daniel Keith
Secreatry: Carole Wathan
Telephone: 0117 4147621

Dr Kimberlee Lim 
Secretary: Carole Wathan  (NBT Secretary only)
Telephone: 0117 4147621

Dr Giles Dunnill  
Secretary: Roz Mogg (NBT Secretary only)                
Telephone: 0117 4147620

Dr Janet Angus 
Secretary: Maria Mitsis
Telephone: 0117 4147594

Dr Beth Wright
Secretary: Rachel Hunt
Telephone: 0117 4147287

Dr Shalini Narayan (UHB)              
Secretary: Dot Phillips (NBT Secretary only)
Telephone: 0117 4147596

Dr Adam Bray (UHB)
Secretary: Carole Wathan  (NBT Secretary only)
Telephone: 0117 4147621

Dr Nina Natafji
Secretary: Carole Wathan  (NBT Secretary only)
Telephone: 0117 4147621

Associate Specialists in dermatology

Dr Katherine Finucane
Secretaries: Roz Mogg
Telephone: 0117 414 7620

GMC Number: 4180601

Year of first qualification: 1995, University of Bristol

Specialty: Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia

Clinical interest: Intensive Care Medicine and anaesthesia for plastic surgery and neurosurgery

Telephone: 0117 414 0856

A comprehensive range of services for patients with skin diseases are provided by specialist dermatologists at North Bristol NHS Trust. The service is run by a team of 6 Consultants who work across Bristol. There are general clinics for any type of skin problem and fast track referral clinics are run every week for patients with suspected skin cancer. 

The dermatologists provide a service for patients with all sorts of skin problems including severe psoriasis, eczema, and acne and a range of other less common conditions.  They regularly advise on patients admitted to hospital who develop rashes and will occasionally admit patients to hospital who require in-patient stays to manage their skin problems. 

Our dermatology team will provide advice and guidance for GPs who request help in diagnosing and managing all forms of skin disease.  The team also teaches and supervises doctors training to be dermatologists and our dermatologists are involved in various local and national research studies.

The department is based in the Outpatient area at Southmead Hospital where we have several consultation rooms and 2 modern skin surgery operating suites. The department is supported by dedicated nursing and clerical staff.  The dermatologists work closely with plastic surgeons and oncologists dealing with a wide variety of different skin cancers. 

The dermatology team support community dermatology nurses helping to manage some skin diseases in the community nearer to patient’s home avoiding unnecessary hospital visits.

Outpatient clinics are held at:

• Southmead Hospital Bristol
• Cossham Hospital
• Thornbury Hospital
• Yate Health Centre

Patients are referred by their GP via NHS eReferral or by paper referral.

NHS eReferrals allows patients to book their appointment without having to contact the hospital.