I am an experienced consultant cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist specialising in the assessment and management of all heart rhythm disorders and hold a dedicated clinic each week for this purpose. I am able to assess all types of heart rhythm problems including ectopic (extra) beats, supraventricular tachycardias (SVT) and my particular interest is in the management and ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). I am also highly experienced in the implantation of cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs).
I was appointed to my consultant post at the University Hospital of South Manchester (UHSM), Wythenshawe in 2008 and I am currently the lead of cardiac electrophysiology services.
I attended Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and went on to study medicine at the University of Dundee. I won several class prizes and went on to graduate with one of only four honours degrees in medicine of my year group of over 140 graduates. I was also the only graduate in my year to have both an Honours degree in Medicine combined with a First Class Honours intercalated Science degree.
I undertook my training in cardiology in the North West of England and then completed an MD research degree in Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy at the University of Manchester. During my cardiology training I obtained a competitive fellowship to work with the world-renowned expert in cardiac electrophysiology, Professor George Klein at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. During my fellowship I received expert training in ablation treatment for all forms of heart rhythm disorders and cardiac pacing with a particular focus on ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). I was fortunate enough to be trained by some of the pioneers of catheter ablation.
I have published widely in the field of cardiology with several publications related to atrial fibrillation and management of SVTs and I am the lead for audit at UHSM for electrophysiology focussing on the safety of patients undergoing AF ablation.
My priority is to use my expertise to provide a rapid diagnosis of your cardiac symptoms and formulate a personalised treatment plan to ensure you receive the highest standard of care. I practice at Spire Manchester Hospital as well as their clinic in Hale, Cheshire. Back to Programme
Dr Friedman is a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist and Neuropsychiatrist. Dr Friedman trained in psychiatry in Oxford, was subsequently Lecturer in Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham appointed to his consultant post in 1990. Dr Friedman had particular responsibility for General Hospital patients and therefore managed the self-harm service and patients with physical disorders including complex pain patients, post-traumatic stress disorder, neuropsychiatry, chronic fatigue syndrome and patients with unexplained physical symptoms. Dr Friedman was responsible for establishing the perinatal psychiatry service including a mother and baby unit. Back to Programme
Phil is the Vice Chair of the NFCC and the National Lead for the Fire and Rescue Service with regard to Children and Young People. He is also a member of the Operations Coordination Committee given Merseyside FRS oversee National Resilience capabilities on behalf of the Home Office. He is a National Strategic Advisor overseeing a number of National events recently, including the UK’s response to COVID19. The breadth of his work gives him an almost unique understanding of the sector.
As Chief Fire Officer he led the Service to its lowest number of fire deaths, and he has instilled a performance management methodology which drives continuous improvement.
His leadership has brought the work the sector does with regards to children and young people to the forefront of sector delivery; allowing the FRS to transform the lives of hundreds of children and young people (CYP) across the UK. He is a Trustee and member of the Board at both the Hive Youth Zone and Firefit Hub as well as being an Ambassador for the Cash for Kids Charity.
Since taking on the role of Chief Fire Officer he has revised the governance of the Service and introduced a Peoples Strategy which reflects his own inclusive management style, involving all sections of the Service in the decision making process. Phil is married with two lovely children – well they are lovely most of the time! Back to Programme
Tony qualified in Medicine at Liverpool Medical school 1989. Tony has been a GP for 25 Yrs in Manchester and in 1999 started working as Academy Doctor for Manchester United Football Club. Currently Assistant 1st Team Doctor and Matchday Medical coordinator at Old Trafford Football Ground. Tony is also a Football Association Tutor. Back to Programme
Ian is a Consultant Occupational Physician and has worked as such in the NHS in Nottingham since 2003. He is an examiner for the Faculty of Occupational Medicine’s diploma qualification and has particular interests in Fire and Rescue Service OH and infection control within OH. Back to Programme
Louise graduated from the University of Leeds Medical School in 1988 and after house jobs in Leeds fulfilled her long held ambition to join the Army. As a Regimental Medical Officer, she discovered a passion for Occupational Medicine and training at the Army Personnel Research Establishment, the Army Medical Directorate, the Post Office Occupational Health Service and Portsmouth Naval Base. She became a Consultant in Occupational Medicine in1997. On a short maternity leave career break she worked as a civilian consultant at Portsmouth Naval Base, Royal Hospital Haslar and for several local businesses.
On return to the Army, she provided OH advice for operations as diverse as Op TELIC, Op PENINSULA (foot and mouth) and Op FRESCO (fireman strike), followed by working in policy and Armyrecruitment and training. This was followed by time at Headquarters Surgeon General leading a diverse portfolio of medical policy, revalidation, medicines management and occupationaltogether Public Health and Environmental Health with OM. This was exceptionally valuable once COVID19 arrived. Now being the Defence Consultant Advisor in OM provides her with aconstant intellectual challenge.
Col Holden is a former Army OM Associate Dean for OM Training, an Educational Supervisor, a member of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine’s Ethics Committee, and previous Associate Editor for the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps and ‘Occupational Medicine’.
Away from work Louise has always loved playing club hockey and is the oldest player in the Army Ladies Masters. As injury strikes more frequently with age, she has rediscovered the joys of cycling and the many Yorkshire tea rooms that her bike takes her to. Along with her dog, the bike has helped her maintain sanity in the pandemic. Back to Programme
Dr Aysha Javed is a Consultant Dermatologist at The Countess of Chester Hospital since 2016 where she is the Clinical Lead.
Dr Javed specialises in all aspects of general dermatology, acne, rosacea, skin cancer and skin surgery. She has subspecialty interests in paediatric dermatology and vulval disease and runs specialised clinics for these in her NHS post. She has presented at multiple national meetings on acne, vulval disorders and paediatric dermatology. Back to Programme
Diana Kloss is a barrister and former employment tribunal judge. She is an Hon Senior Lecturer in the University of Manchester and visiting professor at London South Bank University. Diana has served on a number of government committees, including the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, and was for seven years Chair of the Council for Work and Health, now its hon President. She is an honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and was awarded the MBE for services to occupational health. She is the author of Occupational Health Law, 6th edition (2020), and writes a regular legal column in the journal Occupational Health at Work. Back to Programme
Dr Lalloo is a Consultant Physician in Occupational Medicine with 17 years of experience in the specialty. She is an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor and Deputy Head of the Healthy Working Lives Group at the University of Glasgow.
She has a specialist interest in quality improvement in occupational health (OH) practice and has published papers on peer review audit of OH reports, development of OH clinical algorithms and more recently, clinical case complexity in OH.
She has also published a Delphi series of publications on common core competencies for specialist occupational physicians globally and for occupational health nurses in the UK. Back to Programme
Prof Steve Nimmo qualified at Leicester Medical School in 1988 having done an intercalated research degree in 1986. He spent 10 years in the Royal Navy serving at sea during the first Gulf War and with a Royal Marines unit.
After completing GP training in 1996, he transferred to occupational medicine. Steve did an MSc research degree in HAVS. He worked in Devonport Royal Dockyard for five years before joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust in 2004. Steve was on the editorial board of the OUP journal Occupational Medicine for 12 years and has been editor of the journal for two years.
Steve was on the Faculty of Occupational Medicine examination committee for 10 years and held various positions including Chief Examiner (Research Methods) and Director of Examinations. He was an elected trustee on the Board of FOM for five years. Steve began a three-year term as president of FOM in June 2021. He is also an honorary professor at Plymouth Medical School and the lead editor for the new edition of Hunters Diseases of Occupations. Back to Programme
Dr Keri Nixon is a Consultant Forensic Psychologist. She runs her private practice on the Wirral, where she treats a variety of mental health problems, including complex trauma, PTSD, depression and anxiety. She uses a variety of treatments including EMDR. Dr Nixon also works with the Home Office as an ‘Intervention Provider’ within Counter Terrorism. In addition, she completes medico-legal work for criminal and family courts. Dr Nixon is often called on by the media to discuss criminal cases, mental health and domestic abuse.
Her previous role prior to setting up her own clinic was Clinical Lead in a secure psychiatric hospital, where she treated and assessed patients detained under the Mental Health Act. Dr Nixon ran the male service, which consisted of five wards (low and medium secure); the majority of male patients had committed an offence and were given a hospital order or transferred from prison. Dr Nixon also had responsibility for trauma treatment across the hospital (for male, female and child services).
A particular area of passion and expertise of Dr Nixon’s is abuse and trauma. Her PhD was in domestic abuse risk assessment and her ongoing work in this area focuses on trauma related to abuse and also trauma symptoms in children who have experienced abuse and neglect. For this reason, she is often called upon to work as an expert on care proceedings cases and family hearings. She is passionate about providing specialist trauma treatment to individuals who have suffered trauma and believes that early intervention is crucial.
Dr Nixon also treats police officers and ex-military for PTSD and has developed a national reputation for her treatment of trauma. Previous roles have included Forensic Psychologist in prisons, within the police, maximum security hospitals and academic positions. She is known for her personable yet professional approach. Back to Programme
Web-site – www.kerinixon.com
Twitter – @NixonKeri
Calum Semple has studied severe virus disease outbreaks since 1989 in the fields of diagnostics, clinical characterization and clinical trials. He was a founder member of ISARIC the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium. He has led studies of COVID-19, MERS, Monkeypox, Ebola (EVD and Survivors), Influenza and Bronchiolitis, at times field-deployed in austere circumstances. He is a Senior Government Clinical Advisor sitting on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (COVID-19 response) and the New Emerging Respiratory Viral Treats Advisory Group (NERVTAG), and a former member of the WHO Scientific Technical Advisory Committee for Ebola Emergencies (STAC-EE) and UK Pandemic Flu group. He was appointed Honorary Respiratory Physician at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Liverpool in 2006. In 2016 he and his team were awarded the Queen’s Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa 2014-16 and in 2019 he received a Commonwealth Association Award for subsequent work with Ebola survivors in Sierra Leone. He was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday honours 2020 for his role in the COVID-19 response. Back to Programme
Chris Valentine is an independent occupational medicine doctor in Scotland. He was formerly a consultant in Sexual Health and HIV medicine and worked in substance misuse for the largest Community Addiction Team in the UK. He started to develop a portfolio career and obtained his Diploma in Occupational Medicine and worked at a nuclear power station in Scotland and BASF the Chemical Company. He provided occupational health input to a number of small and medium enterprises in West Scotland. He completed a Masters in Occupational Health and passed the Irish MFOM and worked for PAM for 5 years providing general OM advice to the DWP, NHS, Public Sector, Police and Fire and Rescue Services. He now works from home undertaking UKOG medicals and commutes the M8 once a week to see patients face to face for an independent OH provider. He was a First Tier Tribunal Member sitting on Social Security Appeals for ESA, DLA and IIDB. He lives on a 50 acre smallholding on the west of Scotland with his goats and cats. He does as his partner tells him. Back to Programme
Tony trained in rowing and medicine at Caius, Cambridge and St Thomas’ Hospital, before joining the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1983. Most of his Army service was with or affiliated to Airborne Forces, including command of 23 Parachute Field Ambulance from 1997 to 1999.
He moved to Kent in January 2003 as director of Working Fit Ltd, an occupational health consultancy. He has an extensive portfolio of clinical occupational health work in the NHS and for a variety of public and private organisations. He produced the evidence-based guidance for selection and retention to the Fire Service. He represented the Faculty and Society of Occupational Medicine on the RCS(Eng) and RCOG steering groups developing guidelines for fitness to work after surgery from 2008 onwards and ran Health and Work training workshops for the RCGP. He completed an LLM in Law and Employment Relations at Leicester University in 2007 and has an interest in disability issues and medically unexplained syndromes. He was Chair of the Government review into the Normal Pension Age for firefighters in 2012 and has also advised on pension age for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and for the National Offender Management Service. He established the Covid-age project for ALAMA, developing an evidence-based tool for estimating vulnerability to Covid-19 in workers for use in Occupational Health.
He is currently Chair of ALAMA and was Local Authority representative for nearly a decade, advising ALAMA members and the Department of Communities and Local Government on ill-health retirement under the Local Government Pension Scheme. He is a strong proponent of the use of evidence in occupational health practice, and his website, www.workingfit.com includes guidance for returning to work after surgery, and an expanding section of evidence to support advice and decisions, particularly in relation to pensions and insurance assessments.
His main interests are telemark skiing, hillwalking, cycling and running. He rowed for Cambridge Lightweights, Caius and St Thomas’, kayaked in marathon and white-water racing for the Army and was Chairman of Army Canoeing. Back to Programme