Dr Winston Martin is Consultant Cardiologist at Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust based primarily at Darent Valley Hospital and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in Central London.
Dr Martin qualified from University College and Middlesex Hospital School of Medicine (University of London) in 1990 and gained Membership of the Royal College of Physicians in 1994. Following this he developed a research interest in vascular biology investigating the processes involved in atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. He undertook specialist training in cardiology and general medicine in Leicester at the Glenfield Hospital and the Leicester Royal Infirmary and completed his invasive and interventional cardiology subspeciality training with a 15 month period at the University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland with Dr E. Camenzind and Prof U. Sigwart.
Dr Martin was appointed consultant at the Trust in January 2003 and led on the recruitment of the current consultant clinical team which now consist of 3 other consultants, Drs Petzer, Sidhu and D’Souza. They provide a comprehensive range of district general hospital level cardiac care including inpatient, outpatient and day case services supported by skilled cardiac physiologists and an experienced specialist cardiac nursing team.
Dr Martin led on the development and design of a new Heart Centre which was officially opened in February 2007. The centre was created with the aim of providing a patient-centred service, in modern, clean and airy facilities, accessible to all, integrated and as seamless as possible with primary care. The centre includes 1) a non-invasive diagnostic wing for performing 12 lead ECGs, attaching and analysing ambulatory Holter ECG and blood pressure monitors, exercise testing and performing echocardiography using the latest modern equipment; and 2) an integrated cardiac catheter lab and day ward for undertaking coronary angiography, coronary angioplasty & stenting, and implanting the full range of pacemakers for slow heart rhythms, and more complex devices such as defibrillators & biventricular resynchronisation pacemakers. This has gradually help to reduce the previously large number of patients who needed to travel upto Central London hospitals for investigation and treatment for their heart disease.
Dr Martin has more recently been involved in developing cardiac services at the Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup and in community based clinics in Bexley with Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital, offering patients across North Kent a broader choice of access and facilities in face of an increase in demand for cardiology assessments. He has also translated his leadership skills to other services by becoming the Clinical Director for the trust’s Emergency & Unscheduled Care Directorate.
Services
The range of cardiac services at Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust include:
- Provision of open-access cardiac investigations to local GPs
- Outpatient clinics based at Darent Valley Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup for patients with angina, coronary disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, high blood pressure, palpitations, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, recurrent collapses and cardiomyopathies.
- Nurse-led rapid access chest pain clinic where patients referred by their GP with symptoms suggestive of angina are seen within 2 weeks and undergo a thorough clinical assessment, including history taking, risk factor profiling, clinical examination and exercise treadmill testing and listing for coronary angiography if appropriate.
- A day case nurse-led cardioversion service for patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter.
- A team of specialist cardiac nurses support A&E and general wards in the assessment and early management of acute heart problems.
- Fully-monitored 12 bed cardiac care unit incorporated on a dedicated cardiac ward (Chestnut Ward) for the management and monitoring of patients with potentially life-threatening heart conditions.
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) 1987
MB.BS 1990
MRCP(UK) 1994 and FRCP(UK) in 2007