Meet the team
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Consultants
Our cardiologists are supported by our paediatric cardiac consultants, who provide additional cover and imaging expertise.
Dr Aisling Carroll
Dr Carroll is experienced in all aspects of adult cardiology, specialising in caring for those with congenital heart disease. She has a special interest in echocardiography, advanced heart failure management and heart disease in pregnancy.
Dr Carroll's secretary tel: 023 8120 5942
Dr Samantha Fitzsimmons
Dr Fitzsimmons joined the adult congenital cardiac team in October 2013. She has a specialist interest in pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), care for women with cardiac problems during pregnancy and Fontan circulation patients.
Dr Fitzsimmons is an experienced and accredited member of the British Society of Echocardiography in transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography.
Dr Fitzsimmons' secretary tel: 023 8120 6055
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Dr Nang Kyi
Dr Kyi is a consultant cardiologist.
Dr Lindsay Smith
Dr Smith is a consultant cardiologist.
Associated consultants
Dr Trevor Richens
Dr Richens is the lead congenital and dedicated pulmonary hypertension interventional cardiologist.
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Dr Nicholas Hayes
Dr Hayes is a consultant congenital interventional cardiologist, and with a special interest in congential cardiac catheter intervention.
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Dr Andrew Curry
Dr Curry is a consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist, and is the lead for adult congential heart disease, with an interest in pulmonary hypertension.
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Dr Tom Pierce
Dr Pierce is a consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist, with an interest in pulmonary hypertension.
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Dr Charles Peebles
Dr Peebles is a consultant radiologist. He covers all aspects of cardiac and thoracic radiology, with a sub-specialty interest in cardiac MRI and CT.
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Dr Stephen Harden
Dr Harden is a consultant radiologist, with experience in adult and congenital cardiac MRI.
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Dr James Shambrook
Dr Shambrook is a consultant radiologist. He performs congenital and adult cardiac MRI, including functional ischaemia imaging, cardiac CT and thoracic CT.
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Dr Ausami Abbas
Dr Abbas is a consultant radiologist, and is experienced in all aspects of cardiothoracic (heart and chest) imaging, particularly cardiac MRI, cardiac CT and chest CT.
Consultants' secretaries
Each member of this friendly team supports and assists their designated consultant, typing letters after outpatient clinics and managing requests to book tests, clinic appointments and admissions. They answer queries from patients, referring clinical concerns to the nurse specialist team, and manage the consultants’ electronic diaries to ensure they attend all planned clinics and meetings.
Nursing team
Clinical nurse specialists
Lynda Tellett, Mel Finch and Jane Lewis are adult congenital heart nurse specialists who provide a liaison service. Their role is to offer information, support and advice to patients and their families in hospital or at home.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your heart condition, surgery or treatment please contact them. If they are unable to answer your call immediately please leave your name and number for them to contact you as soon as possible.
Helpline: 023 8120 4739 or 023 8077 7222 then bleep 1481
Email the team.
Mel Finch, clinical nurse specialist
Mel leads the nursing service for patients with pulmonary hypertension in association with pre-existing heart conditions. Her role involves providing support, guidance, information and contact for patients, families and carers. The aim is to help condition understanding, enhance communication and facilitate care and treatment options for patients.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your condition, care or treatment please contact Mel. If she is unable to answer your call immediately please leave your name and number for her to contact you as soon as possible.
Helpline: 07717 714724 or 023 8077 7222 then bleep 1479
Adult congenital heart disease helpline: 023 8120 4739
Email Mel.
Advanced nurse practitioners
Cardiac rhythm management nurse specialists
Paul Thirlwell and Fiona Cooke are cardiac rhythm management nurse specialists who provide a liaison service. Their role is to offer information, support and advice to patients and their families in hospital or at home.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding cardiac management under the care of the electrophysiology team please contact them. If they are unable to answer your call immediately please leave your name and number for them to contact you as soon as possible.
Helpline: 023 8120 8436
Or 023 8077 7222 then bleep 1448
Email Paul or Fiona.
Nursing staff on ward E2
All of the nurses on E2 are specially trained to care for young people with congenital heart conditions, and adapt their care to suit individual needs. They are kind, friendly and professional, and this is reflected in our patients’ 100% positive responses to the friends and family test. One patient said:
'... aftercare, human kindness, professionalism was of an extremely high standard. I was treated with respect, consideration and patience at all stages of my care. Nothing was too much trouble.’
Matthew Anthony
Matthew is the surgical nurse case manager. His role is to assess and coordinate patients on the waiting list for surgery. He works closely with the consultant surgeons on planning surgery dates.
If you have any questions about the waiting list, you can contact Matt by calling 023 8120 8686 or sending an email.
Ward E2 staff
Phlebotomists
Our friendly, experienced phlebotomy team
regularly visits E2 ward to take blood samples from patients. We use these to evaluate patients’ health, monitor illnesses and direct treatment. Sometimes, the phlebotomists insert small tubes (cannulae) into patients’ veins so fluids or medication can be given frequently without having to use a needle every time. The phlebotomists aim to reassure patients and minimise any discomfort, and usually get to know patients well.
Riehanh Khan, pharmacist
Riehanh helps to organise deliveries to make sure specialist medicines are available for you at home, as well as when you come in to hospital. Riehanh helps with any queries related to medication.
Housekeeper
Our housekeeper looks after all non-clinical ward services, from catering and cleaning to ordering equipment and supplies. While on the ward, patients can choose to lock their valuables away, and the housekeeper monitors this and ensures that the items are safely returned to patients. Her work prevents infection and enhances health and safety.
Reception staff
Cardiology reception is located by the E level lift area behind some glass windows. The entrance is in the corridor towards E1 and E4. The friendly team greets patients when they arrive in the department and directs them to the correct area.
Outpatient nursing staff
The outpatient nursing team will look after you when you come to the ward as an outpatient. After being booked in at reception, you will be directed through to the waiting area, where a member of nursing staff will come to get you for some tests before your consultation. You may also meet one of the clinical nurse specialists who provide expert support.
Non-invasive cardiology team
The non-invasive cardiology team is made up of 60 members who perform a range of cardiac tests. The reception area is located next to the lift area on E level, east wing. In the department, there are three colour coded areas:
- yellow area for ECGs (electrocardiograms), CPETs (cardiopulmonary exercise tests), ambulatory ECGs and blood pressure monitors
- green area for pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) follow up appointments
- blue area for echocardiograms, tilt table tests and stress and exercise tests.
You may also meet the team in a cardiac outpatient clinic. We aim to provide an excellent patient experience, so we welcome feedback. If you’d have a query or you’d like to discuss appointments, you can contact the reception team on 023 8120 6404.
Echocardiographers
Di Gardiner manages the cardiac echo department. The department regularly runs transoesophageal (down the thoat) and transthoracic (chest) echocardiology scans at clinics for adult congenital heart patients.
Tom Smith
Tom is a cardiac physiologist. He's involved in the day to day running of all forms of exercise tolerance testing for adult congenital heart patients.
Carol Tyers
Carol is a senior healthcare assistant in the non-invasive cardiology team. Carol’s job primarily involves caring for patients, helping them on and off patient couches and nursing them during and after procedures such as a TOE (transesophageal echocardiogram). Carol also escorts patients to and from the wards to the non-invasive cardiology department and provides administrative support.
Sue Bartlett
Sue Bartlett (right) is a cardiographer for the non-invasive cardiology department. Her job involves taking a patient’s ECG tracing, performing 24-hour ECG recordings and ambulatory blood-pressure monitoring. Her work covers cardiac outpatients, inpatients and also the Princess Anne Hospital.
Other health professionals
Joint obstetric cardiac team
Left to right: Dr Andy Curry (cardiac anaesthetist), Drs Samantha Fitzsimmons and Aisling Carroll (cardiology consultants), Mr David Howe and Dr Raji Parasuraman (consultants in fetal and maternal medicine), Dr Poppy Mackie (obstetric anaesthetist), Lynda Tellett (cardiac nurse specialist) and Jackie Kerr (specialist midwife)
The joint obstetric cardiac team provides a regional service for women with heart disease during pregnancy. Rather than being seen in separate clinics by cardiologists, obstetricians and anaesthetists, pregnant women with cardiac conditions are seen in a single maternal cardiac clinic for shared assessment and safe planning of their care. This includes jointly developing a plan for each patient’s delivery that’s kept up to date and is accessible all the time.
Louisa Nielsen
Louisa is a cardiothoracic and adult congenital heart physiotherapy specialist. She has a keen interest in the development of services to support adults with congenital heart disease. She's currently investigating how inspiratory muscle training (breathing exercises) can improve recovery after congenital heart surgery.
The physiotherapy service provides specialist respiratory care when appropriate and supports early mobilisation after congenital heart surgery, enabling safe independence and supportive discharge.
Email Louisa.
Katie King
Katie trained as a children's nurse, and is now the department's congenital cardiac coordinator. She manages the cardiac catheter waiting list for all children and adults with congenital heart conditions.
You can contact Katie by calling 023 8120 5382 or sending an email.