Long-serving staff may recognise the front row consultants (l to r) Mr Andrew Ball, Mr David Heath, Mr Colin Ware, Mr Brian Sterry-Ashby, Mr Ashley Brown. In case you hadn't spotted Neil – he’s the bearded one standing behind Mr Brown.
Neil’s new challenge best service possible within the financial constraints.
Rugby-loving consultant surgeon Mr Neil Rothnie is ready to tackle a challenging new career move as he takes on the role of medical director. Neil came to us as a consultant general and breast surgeon in 1994 – although he first set foot here 14 years earlier as a student locum houseman. He says: “It was extremely busy and a great experience for me as a student.”
Since its humble beginnings in two small clinic areas and a packed waiting room, the service has gone from strength to strength under Neil’s leadership. He was responsible for the development and design of the specialist breast unit in the Nightingale centre which incorporates South Essex Breast Screening Service of which he is director of screening.
Neil introduced nurse-led clinics and a family history clinic as well as a number of other services and links with breastcare charities. The unit regularly He returned again as a surgical registrar contributes to all the major national for two years in the mid-eighties before audits and its expertise is now recognised throughout Europe. Neil going on to do research in Bristol and was also responsible for setting up London’s Royal Free Hospital and ‘one-stop clinics’ for women with working as a senior registrar and suspected breast cancer and for lecturer at Bart’s. reducing the length of stay so that Initially, he had a special interest in most patients go home on the same upper GI (gastro-intestinal) surgery, but day as they have their operation. The also performed a wide range of general most recent innovation has been the surgical procedures. Soon after his introduction of digital mammography. arrival here, his track record at Bart’s specialist breast unit led to an invitation Neil says: “To be honest, the best thing about the unit is the quality of the to develop our own breast service. team we have developed and the care we provide to make sure patients are treated as individuals and receive the very best possible care.” One of the conditions of him accepting the medical director’s job was that he will be able to continue seeing and operating on patients. As to the future, his immediate goal is to break down any barriers between clinical staff and management, and banish any sense of ‘them and us’. “We are all here for the good of our patients and to provide them with the
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“There are many good things about Southend University Hospital and areas of really excellent care – but we need to work towards making sure that every patient’s journey is at that level of excellence.” Neil is married to Ros, a GP in Great Wakering, and their son is following in his parents’ footsteps as a doctor, while their Cambridge languages graduate daughter is currently doing a law conversion course in London.
Diary Dates Friday, February 22 7.30pm for 8pm start Quiz night at the Freight House, Bradley Way, Rochford In aid of the brachytherapy appeal and maternity service. Call 01702 385337 or email fundraising@southend.nhs.uk Mini masterclasses in the education centre Saturday, February 2, 9.30am to 12.30pm NICE guidelines – osteoporosis and fragility fractures Speakers: Prof Bhaskar Dasgupta, consultant rheumatologist, Pamela Long, CNS, Dr Gregory Babalola, consultant physician, department of medicine for the elderly. Tuesday, March 12, 7.30pm Depression Speakers include Dr Elizabeth Barron, consultant psychiatrist.