How our team works

Mr Paul Wilkerson

I studied medicine at St George's Hospital and undertook my surgical training in London. I have been a consultant upper GI surgeon in Bristol since 2015, specialising in minimally invasive and endoscopic treatments of oesophageal and gastric disease. As well as providing upper GI cancer care, I am working to improve care quality for Barrett's oesophagus (a condition that is linked with an increased risk of developing oesophageal cancer). I am the surgical lead for emergency laparotomy as part of a multidisciplinary team working to improve quality of care for high risk emergency surgery. I am also the Medical Information Officer for the Division of Surgery, and am driven to integrate digital change into how we deliver clinical care.

Mr Dan Titcomb

I graduated in medicine from the University of Bristol and completed my specialist surgical training in the South West region. I was awarded an Association of Upper GI Surgeons travelling fellowship in 2009, to train in advanced minimally invasive upper GI cancer surgery at the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo. I have also undertaken minimally invasive training courses in Versailles and Gothenburg. I was appointed as a Consultant Upper GI surgeon in Gloucestershire in 2009 before taking up my Consultant post in Bristol in 2010. I have a special interest in the management of dysplastic Barrett's oesophagus and helped establish the endoscopic service for this condition after my appointment. I also have a special interest in minimally invasive oesophagogastric cancer surgery and have been international faculty helping train colleagues to perform these surgical techniques in both the United Kingdom and Europe.

Mr Sean Strong

I graduated in medicine from the University of Southampton and undertook my specialist surgical training in the South West region. During my training I completed a PhD at the Centre for Surgical Research at the University of Bristol, which included a research fellowship award from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. My research interests have included maximising recruitment to trials in surgical oncology. After completing my specialist training, I undertook a fellowship at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. This focused on minimally-invasive and robotic techniques for the treatment of oesophago-gastric cancer.

Mr Andrew Hollowood

I studied medicine at the University of Birmingham and undertook my surgical training in the South West. I started as a consultant Upper GI Surgeon Bristol in 2006, specialising in minimally invasive and endoscopic treatments of oesophageal and gastric disease, having completed a clinical placement at the National Cancer Centre in Tokyo, Japan. During my training I completed a PhD examining the role of growth factors in the development of oesophageal cancer. As well as providing general and oesophago-gastric cancer care, I am the Associate Medical Director and Lead for Strategy at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, having previously held the post of Clinical Chair for the division of Surgery Head and Neck.

Mr Ben Byrne

I graduated from Cambridge University in 2004, and undertook my surgical training in both the Wessex and Severn regions. I recently completed a Royal College of Surgeons Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Fellowship at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Alongside my clinical training, I completed a PhD at Imperial College London, using mixed methods to study the performance of surgical units. I subsequently continued to conduct surgical research at the University of Bristol examining the relationship between clinical trials and usual practice. I started working as a consultant in Bristol in 2020. My research profile is available    here.

Miss Natalie Blencowe

I graduated from Nottingham University in 2003 and completed my basic and higher surgical training in the South West. I started as a consultant in 2020 and am also an MRC Clinician Scientist and Senior Lecturer in Clinical Trials. I am a Royal College of Surgeons associate Surgical Specialty Lead for Oesophago-gastric research and am currently research lead for the Roux Group. I have been involved in the design and conduct of the ROMIO (Randomized Oesophagectomy: Minimally Invasive or Open), By-Band-Sleeve, Bluebelle (wound dressings) and Sunflower studies. More information about my research is available at the University of Bristol by clicking    here.

Mrs Karen Clemett

I have over 30 years of nursing experience in varied specialties, working and managing ward areas and then working a Clinical Nurse Specialist role.

I joined the oesophago-gastric team 5 years ago. I enjoy being part of the Clinical Nurse Specialist team, supporting and caring for this group of patients. Our nursing team have led and been involved in many service improvements for our patients. Our aim is always to give good quality care and improve patient experience.

Mrs Ruth Harding

I am the lead Upper GI Nurse Specialist at UBHW and have been in this role for 10 years since my relocation from the north-west. I graduated from the University of Liverpool with Bachelor of Nursing Degree (Hons) in 2000 and worked for 12 years as a sister in general surgery and colorectal surgery, before moving to the south-west to be closer to family.

I have developed and run a nurse led clinic service in Bristol, caring for patients with oesophago-gastric and hepatobiliary cancers.  Our specialist nursing team have been involved in leading many service improvements here including our prehabilitation service.

Miss Carly Pillinger

I graduated in Adult Nursing from the University West of England in 2009. I have 6 years experience working on the specialist Upper GI surgical ward here at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. In 2015 I took up the role of Upper GI CNS. As part of the specialist nursing team we aim to support patients and improve patient care and experience, whilst being involved in many service improvements within the multi-disciplinary team. 

Julian Layhe

I graduated from the University of Chester in 2010 with a degree in Adult Nursing and worked for 3 years as a Registered Nurse in day surgery and endoscopy in the Isle of Man. I moved to Bristol in 2013 and joined the endoscopy nursing team here at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, assisting in a range of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures. Wishing to take my passion for endoscopy further I trained as a Nurse Endoscopist in 2018 at King's College London, gaining accreditation to perform independent diagnostic gastroscopy procedures. I am currently studying towards my MSc in Advanced Practice at The University of the West of England and plan to train in both Upper GI therapeutics and diagnostic lower GI endoscopy in the coming years.

Miss Trudy Reed

I graduated in Adult Nursing from City University,  London in 1999 and worked as a Staff Nurse and Senior Staff Nurse in Hepatology at UCLH for 5 years before moving to Bristol to take up a post in Upper GI Surgery. I was the Upper GI Ward Sister at the Bristol Royal Infirmary for 10 years, whilst completing a Masters in Advanced Nursing Practice. In 2014 I became an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Upper GI surgery, responsible for managing the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Programme. In 2016 I took part in Heath Education England's pilot Accelerated Non-Medical Endoscopy training programme and have worked as an Endoscopist at UHBW since. I help provide the diagnostic and therapeutic service across the Bristol Royal Infirmary and South Bristol Community Hospital sites. I have a special interest in Barrett's oesophagus (early changes in the cells of the oesophagus, see information pages here) and help deliver the Barrett's Oesophagus surveillance programme.

Mr Andy Boult

I have worked for the NHS since 2004 and have spent the last 8 years specialising in post-operative physiotherapy. I take great satisfaction in my job and feel very grateful to be part of such a fantastic team.

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Mr Tom Lunn

Mrs Michelle Brack

I started my nursing career in Suffolk as a nursing assistant in 2002. I studied Adult Nursing at the University of West England, graduating in February 2010. I worked as a Registered Nurse in vascular, urology and thoracic surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and Royal Devon and Exeter hospitals. I have worked in pre-operative assessment and surgical admissions as a senior staff nurse for over six years, including mentoring students and implementing video pre-operative assessments and the associated electronic patient record. In my current post, I am an Enhanced Recovery Nurse Practitioner, helping improve patient pathways and accelerate recovery after surgery across several specialties including oesopahgo-gastric surgery.