What we do
Our endocrinology service deals with a range of conditions which
involve abnormalities in the body's hormones. These include
diseases of the thyroid, adrenal and pituitary, and problems such
as sweating, flushing, increased hair growth (hirsutism,
virilisation), menstrual problems as part of a general hormone
disorder, milk discharge from the breast (galactorrhoea), growth
hormone deficiency, calcium abnormalities, short stature or delayed
puberty in adults/older adolescents, hypoglycaemia, hormone
problems in pregnancy, drinking or producing excess water
(polydypisa/polyuria), loss of libido and testosterone
replacement.
Conditions we treat
Specific conditions we treat include phaeochromocytoma,
Cushing's and Conn's syndrome, acromegaly, Kleinfelter's Syndrome,
Turner's Syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia, carcinoid and
insulinoma.
The endocrine service is provided by a team of 3 Professors, one
Consultant Senior Lecturer, one NHS consultant and an endocrine
specialist nurse.
Our diabetes service provides a team of consultants, specialist
nurses, podiatrists and dieticians who offer a patient centred
approach to education and advice for all aspects of Type 1 and Type
2 diabetes. In particular, we provide specialist advice on
diagnosing rarer forms of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance,
medication problems or alternative treatments in Type 1 or Type 2
diabetes (including inhaled insulin and insulin pump therapy),
improving blood sugar control, avoiding hypoglycaemia, the
transition from children to adult services for diabetes, severe
obesity, lipid problems, pregnancy in diabetes and managing
diabetes secondary to other causes (e.g. pancreatitis, cystic
fibrosis).
We also provide advice and treatment for complications resulting
from diabetes including neurological problems (peripheral or
autonomic neuropathy and neuropathic pain), early kidney disease
(micoralbuminuria, proteinuria, nephropathy) and abnormal Liver
function tests. There are frequent Diabetes Specialist Nurse
Clinics, a diabetes foot service for managing foot ulcers and a
joint foot clinic with the orthopaedic and vascular surgeons.
The department also provides specialist input into the community
education programme for patients, training for primary care teams
and maintaining the regional website which carries advice on all
aspects of diabetes (http://www.avondiabetes.nhs.uk)
The service is provided by a team of two professors, one
Reader, one Consultant Senior lecturer, one NHS consultant, two
Chemical Pathologists, four diabetes specialist nurses, a
dietician, two podiatrists and a Consultant Podiatrist.
Our specialisms
We are closely linked to the University of Bristol and have
the largest research programmes of any of the adult medicine
departments at the BRI involving over 120 researchers. The
department has an international reputation for research into
pituitary disease, the neuroendocinology of stress, thyroid disease
and the immunology of Type 1 diabetes.
The department also provides several regional specialty clinics
in endocrinology including a pituitary clinic, adult growth hormone
service, endocrine antentatal clinic, thyroid/thyroid eye clinic,
transgender clinic and joint clinics with the paediatricians in
adolescent endocrinology and thyroid disease. In diabetes,
UHBristol provides the regional insulin pump service (the largest
in the South-West), continuous glucose monitoring, a diabetes
antenatal service (St Michael's Hospital), a diabetes renal clinic,
the regional Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young genetic
assessment service and assessment for pancreas/islet
transplantation (jointly with North Bristol).
Further Information for patients
General information on clinics
We aim to provide an in depth specialist assessment of your
condition which may involve you being seen by more than one doctor,
as well as a specialist nurse or dietician and having blood or
other tests preformed. To obtain the most from your visit, please
be prepared for a long appointment (an hour or more) and make
appropriate parking arrangements. Relatives or friends are welcome
to be present in the consultation if you would like them to be. We
are a teaching and specialist training centre so doctors in
training and medical students may be present under supervision.
Please ask if you would prefer not to see a trainee or student.
Please bring the following to all clinic appointments:
- An up-to-date list of ALL your medication
- A urine sample or be prepared to provide one
- Information on treatment or blood test results performed at
other centres.
For diabetes clinics it is also very helpful if you
- Bring a record of any blood sugar recordings (or computer
printouts from your meter)
- Bring a record of any blood pressure recordings
- Are prepared to have eye drops and not to drive home if you
have not had an eye test for retinopathy in the previous year.
In additional to weekly general endocrine and diabetes clinics
we provide:
Endocrinology:
- Joint pituitary clinic with neurosurgery
Lead clinician: Prof Lightman
Frequency: Monthly
- Thyroid/Thyroid Eye clinic jointly with Bristol Eye
Hospital:
Lead clinician: Dr C Dayan
Frequency: Twice a month (BEH)
- Dynamic Endocrine Testing:
Lead Clinician: Dr Woltersdorf (chemical pathology)
Frequency: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
- Adolescent Endocrinology:
Lead clinician: Prof Lightman
Frequency: Quarterly
- Transgender clinic:
Head clinician: Prof A Levy
Frequency:
- Endocrine antenatal clinic
Lead clinician: Dr K Bradley
Frequency: Weekly (St Michael's Hosp)
- Adolescent thyroid disease:
Lead clinician: Dr Dayan/Dr Crowne
Frequency: Twice yearly (Bristol Children's Hospital)
Diabetes:
- Diabetes Antenatal Clinic
Lead clinicians: Dr K Bradley/Helen John/ Gayle Richards/Ms
Trinder/Ms Sellars
Frequency: Weekly (St Michael's Hospital)
- Insulin pump service
Lead clinician: Elisabeth
Jones
Frequency: Monthly
- Diabetes Foot Clinic
Lead clinician: Dr K Bradley
Frequency: Tues, Thurs, Fri am
- Lipidology/ Metabolic medicine
Lead clinician: Dr Graham Bayly, Chemical Pathologist (0117
342 3245)
Frequency: Weekly
- Cystic Fibrosis Clinic:
Lead clinicians: Dr S Wong
- Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (monogenic diabetes)
clinic
Lead clinician: Helen John
Frequency: Monthly
Contact us
Appointments: 0117 342 0281
Secretaries: 0117 342 2768, 342 3553
Diabetes Specialist Nurses: 0117 342 2892
Patient information leaflets
Referral information for
clinicians
