One of the largest units in the region for colorectal surgery services
Our colorectal service can provide you with specialist treatment for intestinal, bowel or continence problems including colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and pelvic floor conditions.
As one of the largest units in the region for colorectal surgery, we specialise in laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, which is less invasive and offers a quicker recovery time. You're in safe hands as many of our surgeons are national trainers laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
Depending on your condition, we can provide dedicated clinics for many lower gastrointestinal symptoms such as change in bowel habit, rectal bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and faecal incontinence so the team have expertise in your particular condition.
We place a lot of emphasis on your recovery, and even before any surgery a dedicated enhanced recovery nurse will start to work with you to plan how to get you back to full health as quickly as possible.
If you need a stoma after your treatment, a specialist stoma care nurse will support you during your stay in hospital, and this support will continue once you have returned home.
Our team works closely with other health professionals who may be involved in your care, such as radiologists, oncologists and histopathologists, which helps ensure the best possible treatment for you.
Clinics, as well as endoscopy, are run from our general hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham as well as Alnwick, Berwick and Blyth hospitals, Morpeth NHS Centre and Monkseaton Medical Centre.
Specialists in laparoscopic (keyhole) colorectal surgery
Online Consultation
Where appropriate you may be asked to attend a consultation online via a video call.
Rather than travelling to your appointment, you go into the clinic’s online ‘waiting area’. We will be notified when you arrive and your clinician will join you when ready. You don’t need to set up an account and no information you enter is stored.
If you have been given an online appointment please click on the following link to start the consultation at your appointment time - online consultation
Ms Sarah Mills
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Ms Mills' areas of specialty are coloproctology, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and anorectal disease.
After carrying out undergradaduate and further training in Nottingham where she worked in general surgery and A&E, She continued her training in the north and spent time as a research fellow before working up to senior registrar. Before joining Northumbria Healthcare, Sarah went to the United States to work as a visiting fellow with the division of colon and rectal surgeons at the Minnesota and Cleveland Clinic in Florida.
Ms Mills has been a consultant with Northumbria Healthcare since 1999.
Ms Mills held the position of chairman of the Northern Region Colorectal Cancer Audit between 2005-2012. She has twice been the recipient of the North EST Surgeons Society Prize and has been winner of the Intercollegiate Examination Association of Surgeons Medal.
She has carried out extensive research into colorectal cancer and is published in many peer-review publications.
Ms Mills sees patients at Wansbeck General Hospital and Morpeth NHS Centre.
Mr Seamus Kelly
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Mr Kelly's area of specialty are coloproctology, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and colonoscopy. He is also a senior lecturer in surgery.
He has been a consultant surgeon with the trust since 1996 and has been the lead for audit and clinical governance in surgery at Northumbria Healthcare since 2003.
After training in Belfast, Bristol and London, Mr Kelly spent time working in Hong Kong where he completed a fellowship.
He has carried out extensive research into colorectal cancer, actively raising £1.5m in research funding and has written 60 publications.
Mr Kelly is involved in specialist training and education, and was college tutor for the Royal College of Surgeons of England for six years. He remains part of the faculty of examiners at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh where he has been for many years. In addition he is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Ageing and Health at Newcastle University.
He holds many positions including President of the North of England Surgical Society, President of the North East England branch of the Ileostomy Association northern region representative of the Association of Colproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.
He is also a member of the Research and Audit Committee of the Association of Colproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.
Mr Kelly sees patients at North Tyneside General Hospital.
Mr Barry Slater
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Mr Slater's areas of specialty are colorectal cancer and pelvic floor dysfunction.
Other interests are the investigation and management of faecal incontinence and ano-rectal physiology. Barry established first ano-rectal physiology laboratory in the region for the investigation of pelvic floor dysfunction.
Mr Slater graduated from Manchester University before returning to the North East to complete his surgical training and has been a consultant surgeon at the trust since 1999.
Mr Slater sees patients at North Tyneside and Hexham general hospitals.
Mr Mike Bradburn
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Mr Bradburn’s areas of specialty are colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, abdominal wall reconstructive surgery and fistula in ano.
Highly experienced, as a consultant surgeon with the trust since 1995, Mr Bradburn has performed over 1000 major open colorectal resections.
After completing his initial training in Manchester, he went on to undergo further training in both the North East and in London.
Mr Bradburn is heavily involved in the education of future surgeons. He is head of school of surgery in the North east, placing him in overall charge of postgraduate surgical education in the region. Mike is also associate clinical lecturer at Newcastle University and also Board member for national core surgery trainee recruitment.
He has also been a PhD examiner at Newcastle University and has published numerous peer-reviewed publications.
In addition Mr Bradburn has an interest in IT and designed the national computer package used for quality assessment of surgical training. He also designed the computer system used to streamline endoscopy booking within the trust.Clinics
Mr Bradburn sees patients at Wansbeck General Hospital, Berwick Infirmary and Morpeth NHS Centre.
Mr Benjamin Box
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Mr Box is the clinical lead for endoscopy across the trust and his areas of specialty are colorectal cancer and laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
After completing his specialist registrar training in Oxford, Mr Box undertook further specialist training in laparoscopic (keyhole) colorectal surgery. He holds fellowships locally with Newcastle hospitals and internationally in Cleveland clinic, Ohio in the United States.
Mr Box is a trainer nationally for laparoscopic colorectal surgery and is the trust clinical lead for endoscopy. He also specialises in inflammatory bowel disease and enhanced recovery which focuses on speeding up a patient’s recovery after surgery.
Mr Box has been a consultant surgeon at Northumbria Healthcare since 2009.
Mr Hakiran Seehra
Consultant colorectal surgeon
Mr Seehra's areas of specialty are colorectal cancer and haemorrhoidal disease including HALO.
He studied in Manchester and Liverpool and has been a consultant with Northumbria Healthcare for over 10 years.
Mr Seehra sees patients at North Tyneside General Hospital
Barbara Stephenson
Colorectal nurse specialist and nurse endoscopist
Barbara is also a nurse endoscopist carrying out flexible sigmoidoscopy procedures and she offers advice and support for patients with other colorectal disorders.
Barbara provides support and individualised care to colorectal cancer patients at all points in their pathway from diagnosis, through any investigative procedures they need, during hospital admissions and once they are discharged. In addition she provides colorectal cancer follow up clinics across the trust.
She has been a nurse since 1981, working in hospitals in Newcastle before joining the trust where has worked as sister on the surgical day unit then senior sister in endoscopy.
She has held her current position as colorectal nurse specialist since 1999 having undertaken degree study to BSc and Masters level In addition Barbara has completed advanced communications courses and level 2 psychology training which helps to ensure patients’ psychological needs are addressed.
Debbie Sharples
Colorectal nurse specialist
Debbie is an advanced nurse practitioner providing therapeutic colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy.
She is also qualified to work in theatres as a surgeon’s assistant with the colorectal team.
Debbie has been a nurse since 1995 and has worked as a junior sister in endoscopy, a nurse practitioner in medicine and retuned to surgery in 2002 and since this time has worked as a colorectal nurse specialist.
Debbie is accredited in both colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy by the Joint Advisory Group and completed an advanced colonoscopy and polypectomy training, all of which allows her to offer patient’s more nurse-led services.
Whilst working she has gained her first degree and masters degrees in education and now teaches registrars in colonoscopy. She is currently working towards attaining bowel scope accreditation in order to become a screener within the trust in addition to upper GI endoscopy training.
Debbie sees patients at Wansbeck General Hospital.
Sister Pamela Robson
Colorectal nurse specialist
Pamela's areas of specialty are caring for patients with colorectal cancer and carrying out endoscopy.
After training and working in Cumbria on medical wards and in theatres and ITU for a number of years, Pamela moved to Hexham in 2003. As endoscopy sister she discovered her passion for colorectal nursing and has developed her expertise with a sound knowledge in gastroenterology. Pamela is also a member of the British Society of Gastroenterology.
After completing her degree, she began her masters and developed skills as a nurse practitioner in general surgery and A&E.
Pamela has been a colorectal nurse specialist for two years, training as a nurse endoscopy and is qualified to carry out colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy. She will be part of the flexi bowel screening programme as it is rolled out across the region.
Pamela holds nurse led clinic mainly at North Tyneside and Hexham general hospitals.
Ms Kelly Henderson
Enhanced recovery nurse specialist and stoma nurse
Kelly's area of specialty is in enhanced recovery and stoma care. She was the first enhanced recovery nurse specialist in the region and is the lead specialist nurse in enhanced recovery for Northumbria Healthcare.
Kelly’s role focuses on ensuring that patients make as quick a recovery as possible after surgery, looking after them before and after surgery. Additionally Kelly also cares for stoma patients, providing counselling for them. She follows up patient care once they have been discharged from hospital by visiting them at home.
Kelly has worked for Northumbria Healthcare since qualifying at Northumbria University 14 years ago.
Kelly runs nurse-led clinics weekly for stoma care and bowel dysfunction and sees patients at Wansbeck General Hospital, Alnwick and Berwick infirmaries and Blyth Community Hospital.
Ms Hazel Cagayon
Nurse specialist for stoma care and enhanced recovery
Hazel’s areas of specialty are stoma care and enhanced recovery for patients.
She is also involved in the provison of a specialist service for new and established ostomates.
Hazel cares for patients before their surgery, on the ward once they have had their procedure and follow up care at home once they have been discharged. Her role focuses on patient’s making as quick as recovery after surgery as possible.
She provides education, counselling and support to stoma patients. In addition Hazel provides a rectal irrigation service to support patients with bowel dysfunction. Hazel also has an educational role, ensuring other ward staff, nurse practitioners and junior doctors are aware of the principles of enhanced recovery.
She graduated in nursing in the Philippines 19 years ago, coming in the top 10 in the nursing exams in that year. After working in Singaore General Hospital for a number of years she moved to the UK and has worked at Northumbria Healthcare for the past 10 years.
Hazel holds nurse-led stoma follow-up clinics at Wansbeck General Hospital, Alnwick and Berwick infirmaries and Blyth Community Hospital. She also holds nurse-led clinics in the community and visits patients at home
Sister Liz Robinson
Colorectal nurse specialist
Liz's areas of specialty are colorectal cancer and endoscopy.
She was the first colorectal nurse specialist in the region where she cared for patients with colorectal disease. She developed specialist interests in stoma care and the management of surgical inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal failure.
After joining Northumbria Healthcare two years ago Liz developed this role to include endoscopy which she carried out at North Tyneside and Wansbeck general hospitals.
Liz will soon be joining the bowel cancer screening programme as it is rolled out across the region this year.
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Anne Smith
Colorectal nurse specialist and gastrointestinal nurse endoscopist
Anne's areas of specialty are caring for patients with colorectal cancer and carrying out endoscopy.
Her role is to provide support and care for patients and their families from when they first come into the service with symptoms, through any investigative procedures they need and any subsequent diagnosis. Anne understands patient’s individual concerns and offers information and support.
She has had an interest in endoscopy since she became a nurse over thirty years ago when she introduced pre-operative assessment for colorectal, as well as gynaecology, patients whilst at South Tyneside.
Anne has been a colorectal nurse specialist for the past 16 years and has been instrumental in developing the now well-established colorectal nurse endoscopist role at North Tyneside General Hospital.
She has continued to develop the role of colorectal cancer / endoscopy nurse specialist role to keep up with developments in the cancer and endoscopy fields and is involved in the recruitment and education of new colorectal nurse specialists joining the trust.
Anne sees patients at North Tyneside General Hospital
Chris Watson
Stoma care nurse specialist
Chris’ area of specialty is the provision of specialist services for new and established ostomates, as well as supporting and guiding patients whose surgery results in stoma formation.
She qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1987 working as a staff nurse and a Sister on a ward specialising in colorectal surgery.
After gaining experience in Stoma Care for a period of time Chris secured a Stoma Nurse Specialist post at Wansbeck General Hospital in 2003, transferring to North Tyneside General Hospital in 2008 and Hexham General Hospital in 2012.
She supports and guides patients whose surgery results in stoma formation in both hospital and community settings in North Tyneside and Hexham. Chris also supports the provision of pre-operative and post-operative stoma education, counselling and support.
In addition she teaches and updates ward staff, nursing and medical students, pharmacy and physiotherapy staff in the elements of stoma care.
Chris sees patients at North Tyneside General Hospital and Hexham General Hospital.
Claire Ryan
Clinical stoma nurse specialist
Claire's areas of specialty are stoma care and enhanced recovery, pre-operative counselling for patients who are to have a stoma formed.
After completing her diploma in nursing studies Claire embarked on a career as a surgical nurse in a variety of wards and specialties. Finding an interest in colorectal and cancer care, she began working for the trust in 2000.
She has worked as a stoma care/enhanced recovery nurse specialist since 2009, providing care and support for ostomy patients and their families in both the hospitals and in the community of Northumberland.
Ms Helen Watson
Colorectal nurse specialist
Helen's areas of specialty are colorectal cancer and nurse colonoscopy.
She has worked in coloproctology with Northumbria Healthcare since qualifying as a nurse 24 years ago. Her specialist interests are cancer care, rectal irrigation and colonoscopy and she also assists in theatre. In addition she is joining the bowel cancer screening team as an endoscopist.
She has a first class honours degree in cancer care.
