I qualified in Medicine at the University of Galway (National University of Ireland) in 1975 and after House Physician and SHO posts in Galway in Dublin, I worked from 1978 until 1984 as a Clinical Research Fellow and Medical Registrar on the Liver Unit at Kings College Hospital obtaining Hepatology training. I had further Gastroenterology training at the Westminster Hospital and then in the British Army in Hong Kong and at the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital (QEMH) in Woolwich.
I was appointed Consultant Physician & Gastroenterologist in 1989 and was the Army’s Gastroenterologist in QEMH, Woolwich from then until 1995. I was also the hospital Clinical Tutor and subsequently the Army’s Senior Clinical Tutor. I have also worked as a Consultant at the Royal Naval Hospital in Haslar and at the Ministry of Defence. I have been a Consultant Physician at Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust since 1997, retiring from full-time work in September 2021, and was the Clinical Director for the Emergency Medicine Directorate from 2000 to December 2007.
Experience
I have a wide experience in acute general medicine, gastroenterology and hepatology. In hepatology, my research interests were in liver malignancy and portal hypertension. I was involved in some of the pioneering research on variceal sclerotherapy. I am a very experienced endoscopist and offer a wide range of therapeutic endoscopy. I am experienced in oesophageal and gastric outlet stenting, variceal banding, PEG insertion and oesophageal dilatation. I am one of two consultant gastroenterologists providing the ERCP service at Darent Valley Hospital and perform sphincterotomy and mechanical lithotripsy and biliary stenting. I am a skilled colonoscopist, offering a full range of therapeutic interventions.
Since retirement I have worked as a consultant physician and gastroenterologist on the Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust bank, as a colonoscopy trainer as well as service provision across the full range of GI endoscopy. I continued providing the DVH ERCP service in a team of two until December 2022 but I am withdrawing from that commitment this year. I continue to provide specialist interventional oesophagogastric and hepatobiliary work. I operate a weekly GI and liver disease clinic at QMH Sidcup, with a special focus on hepatitis B and cirrhosis.
In Hepatology, I have a particular interest in haemochromatosis and operated the Darent Valley Hospital hepatitis C and B anti-viral treatment programme until retirement. I am a Member of EASL.
I have been the Trust's Upper GI Cancer Clinical Lead and the Kent & Medway Upper GI Cancer TSSG Lead, as well as an attending contributor to the South East London OG and HPB ACNs.I was the DVH Gastroenterology Clinical Governance Lead until retirement.
Qualifications
MB, BCh, BAO, MRCPI, FRCP