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Welcome to the Department of Upper Gastro-intestinal Surgery

We are a Surgical Specialty that specialises in the treatment of patients with disorders of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, spleen, bile duct and gall bladder. We are also part of the department of General Surgery and treat patients with hernias and lumps and bumps and those who are admitted as an emergency.

The majority of our operations are performed via a keyhole approach (laparoscopic procedures). Some of the complex laparoscopic operations that we perform include those for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), gall stones and hernias. Bariatric surgery (for the treatment of obesity) is becoming more widely performed; we aim to offer this service in the future.

We also perform endoscopic procedures; including gastroscopy, ERCP and colonoscopy. These involve a long, flexible camera that is used to examine the oesophagus, stomach and colon. If your GP is concerned that you may have a tumour of the oesophagus, stomach or pancreas, then he or she will make a fast track referral to our department. All cases are treated urgently; you will receive either an appointment for clinic or endoscopy within 2 weeks.

We work closely with regional cancer centres in Ipswich and Cambridge (Addenbrooke’s Hospital). We endeavour to perform as many of the staging investigations and treatments for patients with cancer in West Suffolk Hospital. You may however, need to go to one of these centres for assessment or treatment.

The aim of our department is to treat patients with skill, confidentiality and understanding. We wish to ensure that patients are well informed and have open access to professional help when needed.

Main Contact Numbers

Mr D O’Riordan’s secretary - 01284 712795 (email- sonia.smith@wsh.nhs.uk)

Mr C Vickery’s secretary - 01284 713897 (email- darlene.hurrell@wsh.nhs.uk)

Departmental Fax no. - 01284 712795

Ruth Wilkins (Specialist Nurse) - 01284 712893

We will not be able to discuss confidential matters by email.

Services Provided

Outpatient services

• Rapid Access fast track endoscopy for suspected cancer patients
• Rapid Access fast track clinic appointments for suspected cancer patients
• Routine and urgent out patients clinics in West Suffolk Hospital, Newmarket Hospital and Walnut Tree Hospital, Sudbury
• Specialist Nurse led clinics in West Suffolk Hospital

Inpatient and Day Surgery Services

For gall stone disease or jaundice:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder)
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration
• ERCP

For acid reflux and oesophageal conditions:

• Laparoscopic anti-reflux procedures (e.g. Nissen fundoplication)
• Laparoscopic repair of hiatus hernias
• Laparoscopic procedure for Achalasia (Heller’s cardiomyotomy)
• Gastroscopy +/- oesophageal stent insertion

For hernias:

• Laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernias
• Laparoscopic repair of incisional hernias
• Open repair of inguinal hernias (under local or general anaesthetic)
• Repair of para-umbilical, femoral and epigastric hernias

Other procedures:

• Laparoscopic staging of tumours
• Removal of lumps and other skin lesions (provided exceptional funding has been arranged – see below)

The Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT), which is responsible for buying services from West Suffolk Hospital, has created a list of low priority operations. These are procedures that are usually performed for cosmetic reasons, and those that treated by our department include:

General benign skin lesion policy:

Uncomplicated benign skin lesions should NOT be referred to a hospital consultant unless the diagnosis is in doubt.

Benign skin lesions include:

• Lipoma
• Skin Tags
• Warts
• Sebaceous cysts

When treatment is sought for these benign lesions in an acute setting it will only be considered if the patient has developed a recognized psychiatric condition (for example an anxiety state or clinical depression) that requires treatment, is clearly related to the relevant physical problem and has not been effectively addressed by adequate psychiatric or psychological intervention.

If a benign skin lesion has become complicated e.g. by infection or it is interfering with physical function, and the clinician wishes to refer the patient to secondary care then funding must be approved by the EFP panel.

We will only be able to offer you surgery for these conditions once exceptional funding has been arranged for you by your GP. We may ask your GP to do this in advance of an out patient appointment. If your doctor is uncertain about the diagnosis of a lump though, then you may still be referred for assessment in our out patient clinic.

Members of the team

Mr Dermot O’Riordan - Consultant Surgeon

Telephone: 01284 712795

Secretary & fax; 01284 712795

Bleep No: 784

Specialty: General and Upper GI Surgery

Special interests: Gall bladder surgery, hernia surgery, laparoscopic anti reflux surgery.

Other roles: Deputy Medical Director, Member of Council - RCS

Previous positions: Clinical Director for General Surgery, SpR rotation – North East Thames, Research - National Hernia Outcome

Mr Craig Vickery - Consultant Surgeon

Telephone; 01284 713897

Secretary: Darlene Hurrell - 01284 713897

Fax: 01284 712795

Bleep No: 674

Specialty: General and Upper GI Surgery

Special interests; Gall bladder surgery, hernia surgery, laparoscopic anti reflux surgery.

Other roles: Lead Clinician for Upper GI cancer

Previous positions: Locum Upper GI Consultant, Bristol, SpR rotation – South West Deanery, Research - Quality of life in patients, with gastric cancer

Ruth Wilkins - Upper GI Nurse Specialist

Telephone: 01284 712893, Bleep No: 576

I specialise in cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, bile duct and liver. My main role is to co-ordinate the care and treatment that you receive whilst being treated at West Suffolk Hospital. If you require treatment at Addenbrookes or Ipswich Hospitals, it is my role to liaise with them on your behalf and ensure that you receive the best treatment available. I will also inform your GP of all treatments and discussions. I hold my own follow up clinics on alternate Friday mornings.

Clinics

The following chart details the time and location of clinics and endoscopy lists held by members of the upper GI team.

	AM	PM
Monday	Endoscopy – C Vickery	WSH Clinic – C Vickery
Wednesday	WSH Clinic – D O’Riordan	Newmarket / Sudbury Clinic Alternate weeks - C Vickery Endoscopy – D O’Riordan
Thursday		WSH Clinic – C Vickery
Friday	ERCP List – D O’Riordan Nurse led clinic – R Wilkins

Appointments

Your General Practitioner can request an appointment through one of the following methods:

• For suspected cancers – please fax a rapid access referral form, available from the pink book.  Depending on your symptoms you may either be booked onto the next available endoscopy list or be given an urgent out patient appointment. In the case of the latter, your GP will also request an ultrasound scan which will be performed before you are seen in clinic.
• The “choose and book” computerised system may be used for all other urgent and routine out patient appointments.
• Your GP may send a standard referral letter to either Mr O’Riordan or Mr Vickery at West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 2QZ.

Private Referrals

Referrals to Mr O’Riordan or Mr Vickery should be sent to:

BMI Bury St Edmunds Hospital
St Mary’s Square
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk, IP33 2AA
Tel: 01284 701371
Fax: 01284 716703

Patient information

The following organisations provide information and support for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer of the upper GI tract. They also have informative websites.

CancerBACUP
3 Bath Place
Rivington Street
London EC2A 3JR
Free phone 0808 800 1234
www.cancerbacup.org.uk

Oesophageal Patients’ Association
22 Vulcan House
Vulcan Road
Solihull
West Midlands B91 2JY
Tel: 0121 704 9860
www.opa.org.uk