Division of acute medicine
Find out more about this service at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is a medical specialty that deals with patients suffering from digestive diseases and liver disease. The department is based in both hospitals with outpatient, endoscopy and inpatient ward facilities. There is a close working relationship with both the upper and lower GI surgeons at both hospitals in addition to shared patient care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
The James Cook University Hospital
The department is based in the endoscopy centre which is a purpose built facility opened in 1996. The department consists of three endoscopy rooms, an outpatient suite of four consulting rooms, each with two examination rooms and consultant office accommodation. There is a physiological measurement room and children’s play area. Situated at the Marton Road side of the hospital it is adjacent to the A&E department and acute admissions unit
Inpatient facilities are based on ward 8, a 34 bedded acute ward located on the second floor of the ward block accessed from the north entrance.
There are five full time consultant medical gastroenterologists with an additional day of clinical activity provided by the medical director. This team integrates with the gastrointestinal (GI) surgeons (four colorectal, three Upper GI) and a dedicated gastrointestinal radiologist. In addition the unit has:
- An associate specialist endoscopist
- A nurse endoscopist who provides the gastrostomy feeding tube service including a clinic for patient review
- GP Hospital Practitioner Endoscopist
- A physiology / motility assessment nursing sister
- Senior and junior specialist registrars (post recognised for dual accreditation in gastro and general (internal) medicine
- Nursing and auxillary staff – covering the endoscopy unit
- Clinical governance and audit co-ordinator
- Alcoholic liver disease liaison link nurse (position presently vacant)
- Specialist IBD nurse (position presently vacant)
Friarage Hospital
The endoscopy unit at the Friarage Hospital is part of the day case surgery unit and as such shares a common waiting and reception area.
Outpatient clinics are held in the main outpatient department whilst inpatients are largely accommodated in ainderby ward.
Consultant team
Click here to view our consultant team.
Clinical activity
Inpatients -
In-patients are cared for by the gastroenterologist of the week on a 1 in 5 basis. This provides continuity of care to patients on the ward. The responsible consultant deals with all requests for consultation from within the hospital in addition to providing the emergency out-of-hours cover for the acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding service.
Outpatients -
The team receive approximately 4,000 outpatient referrals per annum. Each full time consultant provides two clinics per week.
Endoscopic procedures performed per annum (2005/06)
| Gastroscopy | 3079 |
| Colonoscopy | 3100 |
| Limited (left side) colonoscopy | 313 |
| ERCP | 336 |
| Endoscopic ultrasound | 113 |
| Oesophageal / pyloric stents | 43 |
| Oesophageal dilatations | 83 |
| NJ tube placements (at OGD) | 22 |
Useful links
The following websites related to this specialty may be helpful: