About Us

Mr Thomas qualified in 1985 at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London before surgical training in Bristol, Portsmouth and then Newcastle upon Tyne as Senior Registrar. He was appointed Consultant Urologist at Freeman Hospital in 1997. He provides a specialist regional service for advanced kidney and testicular cancer including RPLND. He also provides a partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic nephrectomy service. In addition he carries out complex stone surgery including children with stone disease. Along with colleagues he provides a general urology service including patients with acute urological problems.

He is current Urology Training Programme Director for the Northern Deanery and a member of the SAC. Previous NHS posts have included: Clinical Director, Testis NCRI group, Testis Lead clinician, MDT chair, NEUS secretary, National Cancer Service Peer Reviewer. He is Current local PI for two national research projects.

Mark Johnson is a Consultant Urological Surgeon based in Newcastle upon Tyne. He spent a short period of time in histopathology before commencing basic surgical training in Leeds. After completing a period of research at the University of Newcastle into the molecular biology of prostate cancer he completed his higher surgical training in the Northern region.

He has been a consultant urological surgeon since 2004 and has a specialist interest in robotic assisted surgical treatment of prostate and bladder cancers. He is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute’s Bladder Cancer Studies group and has chaired the North of England Cancer Network Urology Tumour Specific Group.

Mr Edgar Paez attended Medical School at the Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay and qualified in 1994. He underwent an internship at the Hospital de Clinicas, Asuncion, in Paraguay before his residency in General Surgery in 1996. He then completed a residency in Urology in Paraguay (1997-2000) before moving to the UK.

He underwent further urological training in the Northern Region before completing his specialist examination (Intercollegiate Examination Board in Urology – FRCS (Urol)) in 2005. He was appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in 2006.

Mr Paez specialises in bladder and kidney cancer, and undertakes major complex cancer surgery. In addition, Mr Paez is the lead clinician for brachytherapy treatment for prostate cancer, working alongside colleagues in the Oncology department.

Mr Paez holds an Honorary Consultant appointment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead where he offers a comprehensive general urology service.

Mr David Rix graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1989 and undertook training in urology in the North East. He was appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in 2003.

He specialises in minimally invasive surgery of the kidney, using the DaVinci robot system, for both cancerous and benign conditions. He has particular expertise in the management of urinary tract stones.

Mr Rix is also part of the Transplant team at Freeman Hospital and performs kidney transplants and kidney donor operations. He is the clinical administrative lead for Newcastle Urology at the Freeman Hospital.

Trevor Dorkin graduated in medicine from Newcastle University in 1991. He undertook a period of full-time research studying the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer development and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2001. He trained in urology in the North East before undertaking Senior Fellowships in Vellore, India (urological reconstruction) and Sydney, Australia (reconstruction and stone disease). He was appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon to the Freeman and Wansbeck Hospitals in 2006. He also practices at the Newcastle Nuffield Hospital.

His main areas of interest are in ‘benign’ (non-cancerous) urology including lower urinary tract reconstruction (urethroplasty for urethral strictures) and surgery for trauma. He sees men with penile problems (e.g. penile curvature or Peyronies disease) and treats men with erection problems (erectile dysfunction), which may include penile implant surgery. Mr Dorkin also sees patients with general urology problems including kidney stones. Mr Dorkin submits his outcome data for national audit scrutiny.

He is a member of the Court of Examiners at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and an Examiner for the Intercollegiate Urology Board. He is committed to surgical training and assessment. He is the Chair of the Trust Clinical Audit and Guidelines Group. He is involved in clinical research both locally and nationally.

Chris Harding is a Consultant Urological Surgeon at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Professor of Urology at Newcastle University. He trained at the University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge, Kings College London and Freeman Hospital Newcastle. He has a particular interest in bladder dysfunction, continence, neurourology, urinary tract infections, mesh complications and clinical research.

He is Chair of the NIHR National Benign Urology group and Urology lead for the Department of Health Modernising Scientific Careers MSc course. He is also current Chair of the European Association of Urology Guidelines Panel for Female Non-Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and also past Chairman of the executive committee of the British Association of Urological Surgeons Female Neurological and Urodynamic Urology subsection. He sits on the International Continence Society Urodynamics, Conservative Management of Male LUTS and Mesh Complications Committees.

Mr McEleny has worked as a Consultant Urologist in Newcastle and at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead since 2009. He is the Clinical Lead for the male factor clinic at the Newcastle Fertility Centre, located at the International Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne. After completing his medical training and PhD at University College, Dublin, he continued his urological training in the Northern Region prior to his consultant appointment.

His main clinical interests include treating and diagnosing men with fertility problems. He organised and delivers the supra-regional Male Fertility service. His research interests are in the field of male fertility and he is actively involved in male fertility training nationally.

Anna O’Riordan graduated from University College Cork, Republic of Ireland, in 1994 and entered the North of England Urology Training scheme in 2002. She undertook an overseas Fellowship in Laparoscopy at the Clinique St. Augustin in Bordeaux, France in 2007 for 6 months and was appointed a consultant urological surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in March 2009. She also has an honorary consultant post at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, where she has a cancer clinic and a general clinic on Thursdays and Fridays.

As well as core/general urology Miss O’Riordan has specialist expertise in kidney cancer and performs laparoscopic nephrectomy (kidney removal with key-hole surgery). She performs HoLEP surgery (laser enucleation of the prostate gland) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign enlargement of the prostate. She also has an interest in prostate cancer, particularly with non – surgical treatments including active monitoring.

Miss O’Riordan has a special interest in medical education and is the lead clinician for the Foundation teaching programme for newly qualified doctors in the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust.

Mr. Alistair Rogers qualified from Nottingham University in 2001. After basic surgical training in the Midlands he undertook a 2 year research doctorate (MD) based within the Urology department in Nottingham and the Nottingham Trent University. In 2007 he moved to the North East to continue his specialist training in Urology. He completed a one year specialist fellowship in renal transplantation, laparoscopic surgery and endourology at the Freeman Hospital before starting as a Consultant Urological Surgeon in 2014.

He specialises in kidney stone surgery and laparoscopic nephrectomy (key hole surgery to remove the kidney). This is performed for kidney cancer and for kidney donation, as part of the live donor kidney transplant program in Newcastle. He also provides a service for all general urological conditions. He is an honorary Consultant at the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Gateshead where he performs day case surgery and has outpatient clinics on a Monday.

He has particular interests in teaching, research into the management of kidney stones and the urological aspects of renal transplantation.

Matthew Shaw trained at Oxford University, completing his medical training while also gaining an MA in Physiological Sciences. After completing his basic surgical training in the United Kingdom he studied for and was awarded an MD at the University of Indiana, Indianapolis (USA) and University of Leicester. His research degree was focused on the development of the bladder subject to outlet obstruction. Mr. Shaw’s research is published and has been presented widely in the national and international literature.

Mr. Shaw moved to the North East in 2003 and currently practices at the Freeman Hospital and also in Northumberland including Ashington, Alnwick and Berwick. He has a particular interest in the management of complex kidney stones and also surgery for non-cancerous prostate problems. Mr. Shaw developed holmium laser surgery to the prostate gland in the North East and was to first surgeon to perform this operation in Newcastle.

He is an honorary clinical lecturer at the University of Newcastle and provides medical student and doctor tuition. Mr. Shaw submits his results for national audit scrutiny. He is on several national Urology committees and writes standards for the National Institute for Health and Care excellence.

Vicky Lavin graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2003 with Distinction in her Special Study Project investigating the Molecular Pathogenesis of TCC of the Bladder.  She undertook Basic Surgical Training in Sheffield and a Teaching Fellowship in the North-East.  Subsequently she completed Higher Surgical Training on the Northern Rotation during which time she was nominated for an Outstanding Contribution Award (2012).  In 2014 she undertook a Post-CCT Fellowship in Female and Functional Urology here at the Freeman Hospital – this has subsequently been formally recognised for training by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. In 2015 she was appointed as Consultant Urological Surgeon at Sunderland Royal Hospital before taking up her Consultant post at the Freeman Hospital in 2017.  Miss Lavin also holds an honorary Consultant post with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust holding out-patient clinics at both Berwick and Wansbeck General Hospitals.

In addition to general urology Miss Lavin specialises in reconstructive urology, neurourology, male/female incontinence and bladder dysfunction.  As well as her clinical activities she has a particular interest in medical education and is involved at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels in a wide variety of teaching and supervision.

Clinical Profile: Mr Bhavan Rai was appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon with a specialist interest in robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, and urological oncology in September 2018 at the Freeman Hospital.  His primary practice is prostate cancer.  Prior to this he was a Consultant Urologist at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough since September 2016.  He completed basic and higher specialist training in surgery and urology in Scotland.  He is one of very few urologists in the UK to have undertaken double high-volume fellowship training in robotic surgery; firstly in the world famous University of Leipzig Urology Clinic under the mentorship of Professor Ule Stolzenberg, who pioneered minimally-invasive radical prostatectomy. Subsequently as part of a competitively selected prestigious nationally accredited Royal College of Surgeons of England and British Association of Urological surgeons Fellowship at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage.

Academic profile: Mr Bahavan Rai has published extensively on urological and surgical research and has over 100 peer-reviewed articles, national and international research presentations and authored textbook chapters.  He has a MSc Research degree, evaluating the role of urinary biomarker MCM-2 as a diagnostic tool for bladder cancer.  His current research interests include outcomes research, systematic reviews in uro-oncology, surgical education, benign prostate disease and endourology.  He has also been sub-investigator for several regional and national trials.  His latest updates can be seen here

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bhavan_Rai

Mr Bhavan Rai is passionate about undergraduate teaching and training in urology. He has been a faculty member in international laparoscopic courses for prostatectomy and nephrectomy, and national courses such as Boot Camp and Robotic Course at Newcastle.

Mr Rajan Veeratterapillay graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne with distinction in 2006 and undertook specialist training in urology in the North East before completing his FRCS(Urol) examination in 2014. He completed a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery and renal transplantation at the Freeman Hospital before being appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon in 2016. He specialises in laparoscopic nephrectomy (keyhole surgery) for kidney cancer. His other interests include stone surgery and laser surgery for benign prostate problems. He holds an Honorary Consultant post with Northumbria NHS Trust and offers outpatient general urology services at Wansbeck Hospital.

Mr Veeratterapillay has published widely in the field of urology and has experience of systematic review (including Cochrane) and has contributed to guidelines for the European Association of Urology (EAU). He has received a number of awards for presentations at international conferences and won the American Urology Association Resident Bowl Award in 2014. He is actively involved in medical education including simulation training for junior surgeons. His research interests include renal cancer, urinary stone disease and surgical aspects of renal transplantation.

Rahul read medicine at the University of  Newcastle Upon Tyne   and  successfully completed  basic  urological  training in East of England  before   returning to the Northeast for higher surgical training where he spent his final year specialising in laser surgery to the prostate.  He was appointed in 2018 and his special interests include surgical treatments for benign prostatic enlargement (HoLEP, Urolift , Greenlight laser and REZUM), health economics and streamlining patient diagnostic pathways.

He  has been  instrumental in setting up the local anaesthetic  prostate  template biopsy service and  providing transurethral laser ablation (TULA) for bladder tumours. He has published and presented both nationally and internationally. He has acted as an advisor on health technology assessment to NICE. He is committed to medical education and passionate about training younger surgeons in laser surgery.

He is currently the lead for active surveillance programme for prostate cancer. He is based at Freeman from  Monday to Thursday and Wansbeck and North Tyneside on  alternate Fridays

Mr Andrew Moon graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2009. He undertook Core Surgical training followed by Urology Specialist Surgical training in the North East of England. He completed his FRCS (Urol) in 2017. He was awarded the TUF (The Urology Foundation) Travelling Fellowship Bursary in 2018 which saw him undertake further endourological training in Sri Lanka.

He was appointed a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in 2019. He specialises in Endourology including the removal of stones from ureters and kidneys and the management of upper tract urothelial cancer in the ureters and kidneys. In addition he has interests in the surgical management of general urological conditions and diagnostic urology. He holds an Honorary Consultant post with Northumbria NHS Trust where he is the Clinical Lead and performs day case surgery, diagnostic services and outpatient general urology clinics up at Wansbeck General Hospital.

He is actively involved in medical education and the training of medical students, Foundation Programme doctors and surgical trainees. He is also Clinical and Educational supervisor to a number of trainees to support them through their training. He is also the NEUS (North of England Urology Society) Secretary organising the annual regional meeting and events throughout the year.

Campbell Tait graduated in 2009 with distinction from the University of Dundee, having been awarded undergraduate prizes in urology and renal research projects.

He completed foundation and core surgical training in the East of Scotland prior to a clinical research post in urological oncology in Manchester, based at Salford Royal and The Christie.   This led to national and international presentations and publications.  He has received regional and national prizes for presenting his work, including the BAUS oncology prize.

He completed higher specialist training in urology in the North East and was appointed as a consultant in 2020 at the Freeman and Northumbria (Wansbeck and Alnwick).  He enjoys general urology including oncology, urolithiasis and specialist BPH surgery.

John Fitzpatrick graduated from the University of Glasgow Medical School (MBChB) in 2010 during which he was also awarded a BSc (Hons) in Genetics. After spending a year working in Australia, he moved back to the West of Scotland to complete his core surgical training. He began his higher surgical training in Urology in the North East in 2015 and achieved his FRCS (Urol) in 2019 prior to completing his training in 2020. He was appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in October 2020 and as an Honorary Consultant at Wansbeck General Hospital in Northumbria.

Special interests

He specialises in Endourology with a particular interest in complex stone disease and the endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial cancer.

Research

He is actively involved in medical education, in particular the training of junior doctors and surgical trainees. He is well published in the field of urology and his work has been presented both nationally and internationally.

MBBS, PG Cert (Medical Education), MSc (Clinical Research), FRCS (Urol)

Arjun Nambiar is a consultant urological surgeon specialising in robotic & reconstructive urology at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK. He completed a Royal College of Surgeons accredited fellowship in female, functional and reconstructive urology in 2020-21 following higher surgical training in urology in the North-East of England.

Arjun is also a member of the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines office methods committee, which oversees development of all the EAU guidelines, and is a panel member of the EAU non-neurogenic female LUTS guideline panel. He has been involved in training guidelines associates and panel members in systematic review methodology and the GRADE approach to guideline development for over 10 years. He holds a masters degree in clinical research, a certificate in medical education and is widely published in the fields of functional and reconstructive urology with over 75 peer-reviewed publications.

He is part of the National Endometriosis Centre at Newcastle Hospitals and provides urological input and expertise for complex endometriosis cases. He also provides specialist urological input to the endocrine MDT in relation to pelvic paragangliomas.

Arjun is currently the Royal College of Surgeons surgical tutor for Freeman hospital and is extensively involved in surgical education through the Royal College, Health Education North of England and the National Surgical Training Centre (NSTC) at Newcastle Hospitals. He also acts as faculty on a number of national and international courses in robotic surgery and functional/reconstructive urology.

Arjun is taking the lead in developing robotic reconstructive urological surgery in Newcastle, as one of the few national centres offering minimally invasive benign urological reconstruction.

Special interests

Robotic reconstructive urology and pelvic oncology (bladder cancer)

Female lower urinary tract dysfunction

Complex endometriosis involving the urinary tract

Jon Barclay graduated from Newcastle University Medical School with merit in 2009, before undertaking foundation training in Newcastle Upon Tyne, and completing core surgery training in North Yorkshire. He was appointed to the higher surgical training programme in Urology in the North East in 2015, was awarded his FRCS (Urol) in 2020, and achieved his Certificate of Completion of Training in 2021.

Following on from his CCT, he as appointed as a Consultant Urologist at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesborough, specialising in functional, neurological and reconstructive urology. This included managing urological patients with congenital and acquired spinal cord injuries, based out of the Golden Jubilee Spinal Injuries Unit at James Cook University Hospital. Whilst in role at James Cook University Hospital he was appointed the Undergraduate educational lead for Urology and was responsible for coordinating the undergraduate training and teaching program in urology, as well as organising student SSCs and electives. He was also a clinical and academic mentor to several 4^th and 5^th year medical students based at James Cook University Hospital for their training.

Jon was also jointly responsible for reincarnating the Sacral Neuromodulation programme at James Cook University Hospital alongside one of his colleagues, which offered further management options for a number of patients with bladder dysfunction and other neurological urinary conditions, which weren’t previously available within the local region.

Jon was appointed as a Consultant Urologist at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in November 2022, continuing in the sub-specialty of functional and reconstructive urology.

Special interests

Jon’s special interests lie within the sphere of benign urological disease including urinary tract infection, urinary incontinence, urinary tract reconstruction and andrology. He is due to embark on a mentored training program for robotic assisted reconstructive techniques, in the hope of being able to offer more minimally invasive options for benign reconstruction of the urinary tract in the near future.

Jon’s other main interest lies within medical education, and he hopes to continue to participate in both undergraduate and post-graduate training in his new role.

Mr Angus Luk qualified from University of Sheffield in 2013. Following the completion of his basic surgical training in the North West, he moved to the North East in 2017 for his specialist training in Urology, and obtained his FRCS(Urol) in 2021. He completed an endourology fellowship at the Freeman Hospital, and was subsequently appointed as a Consultant Urological Surgeon in 2023.

Throughout his urological career, he has published widely on various urological topics, as well as speaking in numerous national and international conferences. He is passionate about teaching, and had been involved in urology education both in regional and national levels. He holds a PgCert in medical ultrasound, and is interested in the utilisation of novel technologies in endourology.

Aside from providing a service for core urological conditions, he specialises in complex urinary tract stone surgery and the management of BPH (enlarged prostate).

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