Iron overload (especially hereditary haemochromatosis), variceal haemorrhage, hepatic encephalopathy and alcohol-related hepatitis.

Consultant Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist
Department of Hepatology, Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Fellow of Royal College of Physicians (FRCP)
British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL)
European Association for the Study of  the Liver (EASL)
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
South West Hepatology Network

Having originally trained in London at University College Hospital Medical School, I spent my higher specialist training in the South West and Cardiff, where I was awarded an MD after research on an unusual genetic condition affecting the liver called hereditary haemochromatosis. I was appointed as a consultant in Bristol in 2005 and the majority of my clinical time is spent looking after patients with a wide variety of both common and unusual liver diseases.
Within my NHS practice I act as clinical lead for alcohol-related and metabolic liver disease. I have introduced an integrated alcohol service for patients with and without liver disease, improved patient pathways for upper gastrointestinal bleeding and introduced novel therapeutic endoscopy techniques. Non-invasive measurements of liver fibrosis are now increasingly available to patients with liver disease and this can reduce the need for liver biopsy in some liver diseases. Other services include endoscopic investigation (gastroscopy and colonoscopy), general gastroenterology investigations and general medicine. My practice is holistic and underpinned by clinical effectiveness; the latter being a particular specialist interest. Public health promotion is also a particular passion and I currently work with and alongside a number of national and local organisations involved with the care of liver patients, as well as being an executive member of a national charity.
My research interests are broad and thus my patients are increasingly given the opportunity to participate both in national and local research studies. These include studies on treatments for alcohol-related hepatitis, fatty liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy and portal hypertension.

I am married to a rugby-mad Glaswegian and we have two (very Scottish!) sons. Most of my free time is spent on the wet and windswept sporting touchlines of the region but if allowed a perfect “day off” it would be spent hill walking in the Lakes or the North Yorkshire Dales, where I spent many a happy childhood day, followed by Liverpool in a Champions League match on the TV (2009/2010 erased as a painful memory!). Occasionally I am seen on the ski slopes but as an ageing mum struggle to keep up with the kids!