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Patients & Visitors

Respiratory Department

The Respiratory Team

The departmental team consists of 9 respiratory consultants, respiratory nurse specialists, a team of ward nursing staff headed by our ward manager, respiratory physiology laboratory staff, a team of junior doctors, outpatient nursing staff, and a team of administrative and clerical staff.

Consultants

Dr James Harper

Dr James Harper is accredited in Respiratory and General Internal Medicine. My areas of specialist interest are lung cancer, EBUS, pleural disease and interstitial lung disease (ILD). My research was in high flow oxygen therapy.

Dr Tom Hartley Dr Tom Hartley

Dr Tom Hartley is accredited in Respiratory and General Medicine.

His areas of specialty interest are interstitial lung disease (ILD), sleep disordered breathing and ventilation. His research has focussed upon non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in COPD.

Dr Robert MacKenzie Ross (Lead)

Dr Robert MacKenzie Ross is accredited in Respiratory and General Medicine. He has a specialist interest in Pulmonary Hypertension and jointly runs the specialist pulmonary hypertension clinic. Previously he has conducted research into the physiology of pulmonary hypertension at Papworth Hospital.

He is also the clinical lead for asthma.

Dr Clare Marchand Dr Clare Marchand

Dr Clare Marchand is accredited in Respiratory and General Medicine.

She has particular interests in lung cancer, Endobronchial Ultrasound guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and Bronchiectasis. She jointly runs the specialist Bronchiectasis service.

Dr Vidan Masani

Dr Vidan Masani is accredited in Respiratory and General Medicine with particular interest in lung cancer, pleural disease and acute respiratory failure. He is lead clinician for Lung Cancer, the departmental lead for Clinical Governance, and chair of the local Lung Cancer Network Group.

Dr Rebecca Mason Dr Rebecca Mason

Dr Rebecca Mason is accredited in both Respiratory and General Medicine. She has a specialist interest in Sleep disordered breathing and domiciliary ventilation and has previously conducted research in the field of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. She is lead for the Sleep and ventilation service.

Dr Mason works in both outpatients and inpatients covering both general respiratory and lung cancer clinics in addition to her specialist sleep clinic.

Dr Sharon Sturney Dr Sharon Sturney

Dr Sharon Sturney is accredited in Respiratory and General Medicine.

She is lead clinician for asthma and sees patients in the interstitial lung disease (ILD) clinic as well as supporting the sleep service (obstructive sleep apnoea). She has previously conducted research into breath biomarkers of infection and inflammation in critically ill patients.

Professor Jay Suntharalingam

Professor Jay Suntharalingam is accredited in both Respiratory and General Medicine. He is the Trust's clinical lead for COPD and is responsible for developing COPD services, including the BANES community COPD team (IMPACT).

He also runs a regional Pulmonary Hypertension service in conjunction with the Royal Free Hospital, London, helping to deliver specialist Pulmonary Hypertension care to patients across the South West.

Dr James Walters (Lead)

Dr James Walters is accredited in Respiratory, General and Intensive Care Medicine. He has a specialist interest in pleural disease and is the lead clinician for this, running a weekly pleural clinic.

He also works in the Medical Assessment Unit and Ambulatory Care, reviewing patients as they are admitted, helping to provide an acute respiratory service.

Specialists

Gail Jones
Hannah Reider
Respiratory Physiotherapists

Our role is to provide a specialist respiratory physiotherapy service in the outpatient setting for patients with respiratory disease with a focus on long term self-management.

Respiratory physiotherapy helps to improve breathing through airway clearance, breathing control exercises, postural advice and education. We work closely with the respiratory nurse specialists, sometimes organising joint appointments to provide optimal patient care.

Dr Claire Howard Health Psychologist

Dr Claire Howard is a health psychologist with experience of working in respiratory, cardiac and chronic pain services. She provides a psychology service for the respiratory department and sees people on the respiratory ward as well as in outpatients to help them manage the psychological aspects of their respiratory condition.

She has previously conducted research developing and evaluating a Breathlessness Manual to help people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease manage their condition and improve their quality of life.

Issy Wyber Respiratory Specialist Pharmacist

My role is to ensure that all medicines that we prescribe for you in the Respiratory Department are used safely and effectively. I work with the medical and nursing teams in both the ward and the outpatient department.

Specialist and Outpatient Teams

Zoe   Bernadette
Eunice   Ros
Lung Nurse Specialists

Our role is to support patients, their families and friends through the difficult and upsetting process of diagnosing lung cancer and receiving treatment. We can help by:

  • Discussing the diagnosis
  • Providing advice and information about any tests or investigations that are needed
  • Advising on benefits and referring to the appropriate agencies
  • Advising on controlling physical symptoms
  • Giving information on any treatments that are offered
  • Liaising with and referring to community services
  • Providing written information
  • Giving time to talk about any concerns or worries
RNS photo 1
RNS photo 2
Respiratory Nurse Specialist (RNS) Service
  • Nurse led clinic
  • Telephone clinics
  • Tuberculosis (TB)
  • Pulmonary hypertension (PH)
  • Home intravenous (IV) antibiotic service
  • Interstitial Lung Disease/lung fibrosis (ILD)
  • Pleural procedure clinic and Thoracoscopy
  • Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
  • Teaching/Audits
Medical nurse practitioners Medical Nurse Practitioners

Our role is to support the medical and nursing teams on the respiratory ward. We assess patients, prescribe medications, help liaise discharge plans, support and advise the junior medical team of respiratory specific processes.
We also support the respiratory consultants and registrar team in an ongoing effort to improve the patient stay on the respiratory ward.

We support the pleural clinic in outpatients with procedures and ultrasounds.
Outpatient Team Outpatient Team

The Outpatient Team is made up of our Receptionists, Health Care Assistants and Outpatient Nurses. This team is the Outpatient Department front of house and meet and greet all the patients who come through our doors. They are a friendly and very hardworking team.

Outpatient Team Lung Service Tracker and Pulmonary Hypertension Coordinator

The Lung Service Tracker plays a critical role to the efficient running of our lung MDT service; working closely with the lung nurse specialists, consultants and other members internal and external to the hospital. The PH Coordinator is the first port of call for all PH related queries, appointments and investigations, actively ensuring the smooth running of the growing service.

Respiratory Secretaries Respiratory Secretaries

The Respiratory secretaries are first port of call on the telephone with queries from patients, GPs and other internal/external hospital departments. They type up all correspondence and ensure patient data and notes are kept as up to date as possible. They liaise with all other teams within the respiratory department.

Respiratory Ward Team Member  Respiratory Ward Team Member
Respiratory Ward Team Member  Respiratory Ward Team Member
Respiratory Ward Team Member  Respiratory Ward Team Member
Respiratory Lab Team

The Respiratory Lab perform a variety of tests working alongside the Respiratory Clinics, Respiratory Ward and wider hospital. These include a range of lung and respiratory muscle function testing, sleep studies, blood gas analysis and allergy testing.

Detailed information on test procedures is sent out with appointments. Patients often undergo pulmonary function tests on the day of their clinic appointment. Patients therefore may receive two appointment letters (one for the lab, one for the clinic appointment) for the same day.

Staff are responsible for the initial setting up and instruction of patients in the use of home NIV. The lab is a nationally recognised ARTP Spirometry Training Centre. Staff are also provide teaching sessions across all professions.

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