Mr Mark Welch

My first consultant post was a Consultant General and Vascular Surgeon at Burnley General Hospital from 1998 - 2000. My second consultant post was a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at University Hospital South Manchester (UHSM) / Manchester Foundation Trust (MFT) from 2000 - 2022. I retired from NHS practice in June 2022. I still hold an honorary MFT contract in my role as Senior Appraiser.

I have always had a very busy clinical practice dealing with the whole aspect of arterial and venous disease. Now in the private sector, I still perform lower limb arterial surgery in good numbers, though the bulk of PP work is in relation to varicose vein surgery.

I have a very busy medicolegal practice.

I specialise in all aspects of venous disease:

• Varicose veins
• Post-thrombotic syndrome
• Vein thrombosis
• Leg swelling
• Lymphoedema and leg ulceration

In respect of varicose veins, I perform:

• Endovenous surgery (radiofrequency ablation; RFA) or open surgery as appropriate
• Peripheral arterial disease assessment and management
• Assessment and management of leg pains
• Assessment and management of leg swelling / oedema

I have vast experience in assessment and management of varicose veins, having had a weekly NHS venous operating list until COVID, and also a busy private practice; I have performed several thousand such operations in my career, and now perform about 100 such operations per annum.

I have wide experience in the management of peripheral arterial disease, and have performed in excess of 1,000 operations in my career. In the private sector I perform between 10 and 20 operations per annum (excluding patients who require angioplasty or stenting alone). I also have vast experience in carotid artery surgery though no longer perform such operations; I am happy to assess patients with suspected carotid disease and advise appropriately.

I have extensive experience in aortic surgery, particularly for abdominal aortic aneurysms, having performed in excess of 500 such operations in my career. Since retiring from NHS practice I no longer perform these operations in the private sector, though am happy to assess and advise patients with this condition.

Previous NHS management positions:

• Clinical Director Vascular Surgery, University Hospital South Manchester (UHSM) 2001 - 09, 2012-14, 2017-19
• Director Infection Prevention & Control (DIPC), UHSM 2005-07
• Associate Medical Director, UHSM 2009-12

Previous teaching / training positions:

• Chair Basic Surgery Rotation UHSM 2004-07
• Royal College of Surgeons Tutor UHSM 2006-09
• Programme Director Core Surgery, NW Deanery 2007-12
• Programme Director Gen & Vascular Surgery, NW Deanery 2012-17
• President NW Regional Association of Surgeons 2017-19
• Chairman Medical Staff Committee, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester 2015-22

I perform all these roles and maintain a full clinical timetable, I am committed to excellence in the assessment and management of vascular disease. I have also written a number of research papers in the field of vascular disease.