GMC Number: 4091118

Year of first qualification: 1994, University of Bristol

Department: Renal Medicine

Clinical interest: Renal Disease and Pregnancy, Vascular Access and Self Care Haemodialysis

Secretary: Sue Jones 

Telephone: 0117 414 7702

Dr Alison Armitage was appointed as a Consultant Nephrologist at Southmead Hospital Bristol in 2007.

She is a general nephrologist practising transplantation, general nephrology and dialysis.

Her particular clinical interest is in renal disease in pregnancy. She runs a joint specialist clinic with maternal medicine colleagues and is a member of the national CKD in pregnancy RaDaR group.

Dr Armitage is also the department lead for Dialysis Vascular Access.

GMC Number: 3539352

Year of first qualification: 1991, University of Bristol

Specialty: Renal

Clinical interest: Chronic kidney disease, renal transplant and dialysis

Secretary: Lynn Tottle 

Telephone: 0117 414 7696

Dr Karen Anderson is active in all aspects of the care of patients with kidney disease including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplantation.

Together with Dr Armitage she supervises the care of haemodialysis patients at the Cossham Hospital dialysis unit in Bristol.

She is the specialty lead on junior doctor training.

GMC Number: 4243623

Year of first qualification: 1989

Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Clinical interest: Fertility & Reproductive Medicine, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Gynaecological Ultrasound

Secretary: Nim Sidhu

Telephone: 0117 414 6757

Mr Akande was appointed as a consultant Gynaecologist in 2004 and is also Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol. His academic training includes having been a research fellow and later a clinical lecturer in reproductive medicine at the University of Bristol. His research into infertility led to the attainment of a PhD and several international publications.

Consultant Surgeons

Service Lead
Mr Alan Osborne
Secretary: Sue Phillis
Telephone: 0117 4140834  

Mr Christopher Wong
Secretary: Sue Phillis
Telephone: 0117 4140834

Mr James Hewes
Secretary: Kate Hewings
Telephone: 0117 4140837

Mr James Hopkins
Secretary: Kate Hewings
Telephone: 0117 4140837

Mr Dimitrios Pournaras 
Secretary: Kate Hewings
Telephone: 0117 4140837

Mr Nitin Arvind (locum)
Secretary: Sue Phillis
Telephone: 0117 4140834

UGI Specialist Nurse
David Hocking
Issy Battiwalla
Sharon Short
Telephone: 0117 4140515

North Bristol NHS Trust delivers the vascular service for the 1.12 million people of Bristol, North Somerset, Bath, North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Formed in 2014, the major arterial centre (MAC) for the network is Southmead Hospital.

The network is responsible for the delivery of both elective and emergency vascular care. This includes all arterial surgery for the area, and:

• Varicose vein treatments
• Diabetic foot care
• Renal access

In addition, the network provides complex endovascular services for the 3.5 million people of the South West.

The Major Arterial Centre provides 24 hours a day, seven day a week service for vascular surgery and interventional radiology. We have a 32-bedded vascular ward in the Brunel building on level 2, gate 33B, Southmead Hospital and both a dedicated operating theatre and hybrid theatre available for the vascular service.

Vascular surgery has been recognised as leading service at North Bristol NHS Trust alongside our regional trauma, renal, neurosurgery and plastics units. This position will be further strengthened with the appointment by the University of Bristol of Prof Robert Hinchliffe as Clinical Professor of Vascular Surgery.

Our Locations

The model of care is for the ‘front door’ of the vascular service to be provided the patient’s local hospital where they can consult with a vascular specialist and have outpatient care and imaging. Both inpatient care requiring a vascular multi-disciplinary team and emergency care are delivered from the major arterial centre (MAC) for the network in the Brunel Building at Southmead Hospital, Bristol (North Bristol NHS Trust).

• Southmead Hospital: Major Arterial Centre, Major Trauma Centre and regional Renal & Transplant Unit
• Bristol Royal Infirmary: Day case angioplasty, Outpatient clinics, Imaging including vascular scientists (CTA/MRA/Duplex)
• Bristol Heart Institute: Thoracic stenting - joint service with UH Bristol FT
• Royal United Hospital Bath: Day case angioplasty, Outpatient clinics, Imaging including vascular scientists (CTA/MRA/Duplex)
• Weston General Hospital: Outpatient clinics, Imaging including visiting vascular scientists (CTA/MRA/Duplex)

There are dedicated vascular laboratories at Southmead Hospital, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Royal United Hospital Bath all providing the opportunity for training in vascular ultrasound.

Useful Links

Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland vascularsociety.org.uk

Circulation Foundation (the UK vascular disease charity) circulationfoundation.org.uk

Professional Information

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists:  www.rcslt.org

Research

Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit www.speech-therapy.org.uk

Clinical information

Stammering:  British Stammering Association www.stammering.org

Voice Disorders: British Voice Association www.british-voice-association.com

Laryngectomy: National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs www.laryngectomy.org.uk

Stroke: Stroke Association www.stroke.org.uk

Speakability www.speakability.org.uk

Bristol Area Stroke Foundation www.stroke-bristol.org

Dementia: Alzheimers Society www.alzheimers.org.uk     

Head Injury: Headway www.headway.org.uk

Parkinson’s Disease Association www.parkinsons.org.uk

Motor Neurone Disease Association www.mndassociation.org

Pick’s Disease Association www.pdsg.org.uk

Multiple Sclerosis Society www.mssociety.org.uk

Multiple System Atrophy: Sarah Matheson Trust www.msaweb.co.uk

Huntington’s Disease Association www.hda.org.uk

Royal National Institute for the Deaf www.rnid.org.uk

Royal National Institute for the Blind www.rnib.org.uk

Disability Charity: SCOPE www.scope.org.uk

Changing Faces www.changingfaces.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support www.macmillan.org.uk

Head of Service
Catherine Hamilton

SLT Team Leaders

Outpatient Lead
Anna Tucker

Inpatient/Videofluoroscopy Lead
Renee Robinson

Inpatient/FEES Lead
Helen Spear

Hearing Therapy
Helen Merry

If you have a communication problem and would like to speak to a Speech and Language Therapist, you or a family member or carer can contact us directly to discuss if a referral would be appropriate for you. If so, you can either ask your GP to refer you to Speech and Language Therapy or you can refer yourself. 

If you are having difficulty with your voice you will usually need to be seen by an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) doctor before being referred for Speech and Language Therapy at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.  If you are unable to speak to us over the telephone but have access to the internet, you can email us with your queries.

As we are unable to accept swallowing referrals directly from patients or their family or carers, please contact your GP to discuss this with them.

We prioritise all of the referrals according to their urgency and endeavour to see people as quickly as possible. Once we receive your referral, you will be sent a letter acknowledging this and informing you of our current waiting times. You are welcome to contact the Speech and Language Therapy Department at any time, if you have further information that may be helpful, or to discuss any issues, questions or concerns you may have.

The Hearing Therapy service is based in the Brunel building and is available to people admitted to Southmead Hospital Bristol.

Hearing Therapy offers an assessment and management service to clients with communication difficulties due to a sudden or progressive deafness. This includes assistance in alternative communication strategies and assessment for hearing equipment.
Hearing Therapy promotes better communication between the client, their carers and the multi-disciplinary team.

Twice weekly Videofluoroscopy Swallowing Clinics are held at Southmead Hospital.

Referrals to these clinics will be agreed between the Speech & Language Therapist and your doctor.