Upper GI surgery
Our upper GI (oesophagogastric) unit works in partnership with the University of Southampton. We provide care for patients from across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Channel Islands and the Dorset region. We also look after patients from wider afield who need the specialist interventions from a multi-disciplinary team that we can provide. This could be support from our thoracic, cardiac, nutritional or interventional radiology teams, for example.
We're committed to innovation and are constantly working to improve the service that we offer for patients. Recently this has focused on robotic surgery, enhanced recovery, totally minimally invasive oesophagectomy, endoscopic surgery, novel anti-reflux procedures and bariatrics.
Our clinicians also provide local and national leadership in surgical innovation, governance and ethics.
Our purpose: “A brilliant collaboration of world-class people constantly committed to delivering outstanding patient outcomes, perpetual innovation, and world-leading research in upper GI surgery.”
Our ward - E5 upper
Our patients are mainly cared for on E5 upper, which is the upper gastrointestinal ward, and within critical care. This is a surgical ward with 18 beds. There are two side rooms, red bay which has four beds, and blue and orange bays, each with six beds.
As a ward, we specialise in investigating and caring for patients with gastric and oesophageal malignancy (cancer). We also provide care for patients who have had benign (non-cancerous) oesophago-gastric surgery and anti-reflux surgery. We work closely with our wider team to make sure our patients have access to a wide range of support. This includes dieticians, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, clinical nurse specialists, and Macmillan cancer support. They offer support and education on how to achieve the best outcomes for our patients during their treatment and beyond. We also have patients from other specialties within the surgical care group on the ward.
Cancer service
In Southampton, we have unique opportunities to take part in research into oesophageal cancer. Our team has been able to take advantage of this to help prevent oesophageal and gastric cancer, with involvement in research focusing on prevention, early detection, and treatment.
Following cancer treatment, patients at UHS consistently have outcomes better than the national average. The upper GI unit clinical outcomes for cancer are the best in the UK, according to the National Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Audit (NOGCA; 2020).
Contact us
- Upper GI secretary - 023 8120 3664
- Surgical high dependency ward - 023 8120 2191
- E5 upper ward - 023 8120 6507
- Surgical day unit - 023 8120 5249
- Dieticians - 023 8120 6072