Gastroenterology

Intro

About the service

The Department of Gastroenterology is led by 7 consultant gastroenterologists. Together we provide comprehensive gastroenterology services including diagnosis and management of luminal GI diseases, endoscopy, hepatology and clinical nutrition.

We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care for gastroenterology patients as outlined by our divisional objectives to create a centre of excellence for Gastroenterology.

Our expertise includes diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease, upper and lower gastrointestinal cancers, liver diseases, gastrointestinal bleeding, nutrition support, functional GI disorders and motility disorders.

Together with the specialist nurses we provide direct access to our inflammatory bowel disease service for our patients, providing telemedicine consultations and preventing unnecessary admissions. We provide high quality care to our IBD patients including biologic and iron infusions, whereby we assess, initiate and monitor patients. We also have an IBD MDT monthly, where we discuss complex patients alongside histopathologists, surgeons and radiologists.

We provide a 2 week wait access cancer referrals for suspected upper GI and hepato-biliary cancers including urgent direct access to endoscopy. Our service was commended at the National Cancer Peer Review. The Joint Advisory Group for Endoscopy has also awarded the Endoscopy team full accreditation

We have recently implemented the wireless capsule endoscopy service for occult GI bleeding, anaemia and other suspected small bowel pathology.

There is an active nutrition support team comprising of lead consultant, nutrition nurses, speech and language therapy and dietitians. Together we provide inpatient and community support for patients with complex feeding needs.

We have 2 substance misuse Nurses who see patients in hospital and who liaise with community drug and alcohol services to arrange timely follow-up after discharge.

We see patients with chronic viral hepatitis and full range of liver diseases.

We also provide specialised clinics, some of which are specialist nurse led (inflammatory bowel disease, dyspepsia and nutrition support).

The Endoscopy Unit is based within the Solomon Macey Endoscopy Unit at George Eliot Hospital and they provide a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower GI endoscopy.

This includes gastroscopy, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, upper and lower GI stenting, PEG insertions, thermal and laser service for GI bleed and cancer.

There is an emergency GI bleed endoscopy service which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Contact us

Main Contact Number for Referrals/Queries: 024 7686 5151 / 5161 / 5255