What I do

I’ve worked in healthcare for over 25 years: as a registered nurse, with more than a decade in gastroenterology, the last 10 years as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Independent Prescriber, working in the NHS. I hold an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice. My week is split between the endoscopy unit, where I carry out gastroscopies and transnasal endoscopies and read capsule endoscopy studies, and clinic, where I run an iron deficiency anaemia service. I also carry out abdominal paracentesis and FibroScans, and I’m training in colonoscopy.

Before gastroenterology I was a Clinical Nurse Specialist in nutrition support, and before that I worked in general and colorectal surgery, urology, intensive care and clinical education. I started in healthcare at 16 as an auxiliary nurse, so I’ve seen care from almost every side.

Why I started this site

In clinic I often explain the same things: what a gastroscopy actually feels like, why you need to stop your omeprazole before an H. pylori test, why one iron tablet a day, or every other day, often works better than three. People go home and search online, and too often find advice that is out of date, selling something, or written by someone who has never met a patient with their condition.

This site is the explanation I’d give you in clinic, written down properly, checked against current UK guidance, and kept up to date.

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My career so far

• Age 16 Started work in healthcare as an auxiliary nurse in nursing homes.
• 2006 Qualified as a registered nurse: BN (Hons) Nursing, University of Birmingham.
• 2006 onwards Worked in general surgery, urology, colorectal surgery, intensive care and clinical education.
• 2008 Electronic prescribing trainer on one of the first and largest trust-wide rollouts in the NHS, leading the rollout at one hospital site.
• 2013 Moved into gastroenterology as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Nutrition Support.
• 2015 Qualified in supporting learning and assessment in practice (Staffordshire University).
• 2016 Became an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in gastroenterology.
• 2016–2019 MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice (Distinction), University of Warwick.
• 2018 JAG-certified in diagnostic upper GI endoscopy (gastroscopy).
• 2018 Developed an abdominal paracentesis service.
• 2023 PGCert in clinical education (University of Warwick) and Independent Prescriber (Birmingham City University).
• 2024 Trained in reading small-bowel capsule endoscopy, and led a multi-site audit of bowel preparations, presented at a regional conference.
• 2025 Co-led the launch of a transnasal endoscopy service.
• Now Gastroscopy, transnasal endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, FibroScan and an iron deficiency anaemia clinic. Training in colonoscopy, and teaching doctors and nurses endoscopy.

Teaching, research and service development

• Co-led the development of a transnasal endoscopy service, and monitor its outcomes for clinical governance
• Developed an abdominal paracentesis service
• Led a multi-site audit comparing bowel preparations, presented at a regional gastroenterology conference
• Train doctors and endoscopy nurse practitioners in endoscopy, and teach clinical skills to resident doctors

How I write

Every guide is referenced to NICE, the British Society of Gastroenterology, the NHS or peer-reviewed research, and shows when it was last reviewed. Where another specialist has checked a guide, such as a dietitian, they are named on it. Read the full editorial policy.

[Optional: your professional registration, e.g. “Registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.” You can link to the public NMC register if you’re comfortable.]