The department is based in both hospitals with outpatient, endoscopy and inpatient ward facilities.
There is a close working relationship with the upper and lower GI (gastrointestinal) 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 four 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.
We have 12 full time consultant gastroenterologists. This team integrates with the gastrointestinal (GI) surgeons 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
- A physiology / motility assessment nursing sister
- Senior and junior specialist registrars (post recognised for dual accreditation in gastro and general medicine)
- Nursing and health care assistant staff – covering the endoscopy unit
- Clinical governance lead
- Specialist IBD nurses
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 Allerton ward.
In-patients are cared for by the gastroenterologist of the week on a one in four basis. This provides continuity of care to patients on the ward. The responsible consultant deals with all requests for consultation from within the hospital.
The team receive approximately 4,000 outpatient referrals per annum. Each full time consultant provides two clinics per week.
Endoscopy services offered at James Cook
As The James Cook University Hospital is the regional centre for endoscopy for patients within the surrounding area, we provide a greater number of both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as opposed to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. This means that you may only be able to have your procedure performed at the James Cook endoscopy unit, as the Friarage does not provide all specialist services.
Our services include the following endoscopy procedures:
- Gastroscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- ERCP
- EUS
- PEG service
- Oesophageal stenting and dilatation
- Oesophageal manometry
- Video capsule endoscopy
- Colon stenting and dilatation
- EMR
- Trans-nasal endoscopy
Endoscopy services offered at the Friarage Hospital
The following is a list of procedures performed at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton:
- Gastroscopy
- Colonoscopy
- EMR
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Treatment of haemorrhoids
- Oesophageal stenting and dilatation
As we work closely with surgical and respiratory consultants, they provide other services within the endoscopy unit at the James Cook site as follows: bronchoscopies, bariatric balloons and banding, treatment for haemorrhoids.
Please note that if you require a routine diagnostic endoscopy procedure, you may be requested to attend the Friarage Hospital endoscopy unit as more specialist procedures are performed at the James Cook endoscopy unit.