Endoscopy Unit
The James Paget University Hospital Endoscopy Unit is JAG Accredited and provides a range of both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures.
About us
The Endoscopy unit at the James Paget University Hospital is a JAG accredited purpose built unit supporting outpatient and inpatient endoscopic procedures. The department boasts a 24/7 Acute gastrointestinal bleeding service supported by a consultant gastroenterologist and nurse team.
The Endoscopy unit is a training, teaching and research active department which is fully equipped with video endoscopes and associated equipment. The unit consists of four Endoscopy theatres, one of which has the facilities to undertake X- ray screening and laser procedures. The department has state of the art equipment and an active equipment replacement programme.
There is a reception and waiting room area, recovery bays, bowel preparation areas with complete gender separation.
The Unit was JAG accredited in 2013 following a peer review site visit and has since been successful in its rolling annual accreditation. Accreditation is based on satisfactory demonstration of all aspects of the quality of patient experience, quality and safety, training and workforce. The Endoscopy Users Group is the unit’s governance and education platform
The ethos of the unit is to provide high quality patient care provided by a team of Gastroenterologists, Surgeons and Clinical Endoscopists supported by nursing staff, technicians and clerical staff.
The unit works closely with other departments, wards and information services and collaborates with regional hospitals to deliver high quality care and endoscopy training.
The department is constantly seeking to improve service provision and patient care and your feedback is important to us. There are a number of ways to provide feedback and this can be done through NHS Choices, theTrust's social media, our patient advice and liaison service (PALS), letters, cards etc. We also encourage users and their family or carers to join our Patient Participation Group that is run by our staff. Please enquire at reception for further information.
What is an Endoscopy:
An endoscopic procedure allows the doctor or nurse to visually inspect your gastrointestinal tract using a video camera attached to the end of a long thin flexible tube or endoscope. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy also known as OGD or gastroscopy is examination of the oesophagus (food pipe or gullet), stomach and duodenum (first part of the small bowel). Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy colonoscopy (or flexi sig) is an examination of the colon (large bowel). Please see patient information leaflet for specific endoscopic procedures.
Procedures undertaken in the endoscopy unit include:
- Diagnostic and therapeutic Gastroscopy – looking at the oesophagus (gullet ) stomach and duodenum
- Diagnostic and therapeutic Colonoscopy – looking at the large colon
- Diagnostic and therapeutic Flexible Sigmoidoscopy – looking at the left side of the large colon
- Therapeutic ERCP – looking at the bile and pancreatic ducts
- Diagnostic Bronchoscopy – looking into the lungs
- TOE – Ultrasound of the heart via the oesophagus
Booking an Endoscopy appointment
Appointments are booked in a number of ways;
- Direct booking system – If you are attending an appointment and agree to have an endoscopic procedure you will be invited to book your endoscopy face to face in our booking office for a date that is suitable for you. If you are unable to book directly you will be invited to call the booking line on 01493 452062 on the next working day.
- If your doctor has requested a procedure for you, the department will send you an appointment letter and invite you to confirm that it is suitable or call to change it.
- If, after you have booked your appointment, you wish to change or cancel it, please call the appointments line as soon as possible.
Preparing for Your Appointment
With your appointment letter you will also receive an information booklet about the test you will have and the preparation you require including full instructions on how to manage other medical conditions relevant to the test such as diabetes, or medications such as anticoagulants, antiplatelet (blood thinning treatments) .The information booklet advises on what you can expect during and after your test.
If you are having sedation you will not be able to drive yourself. You will need to make arrangements for getting to the department and back home again. You will need a competent adult to accompany you home and you will need to be in the company of a competent adult overnight also. Further information is available in the booklet you will be provided with.
You can get more information via the Endoscopy section of our leaflet A-Z here.
Frequently asked questions
-
If you are having a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy only, you can drink clear fluid right up to the appointment. However, if you are having a gastroscopy (either on its own or in the same appointment as a large bowel investigation), you must not eat anything for six hours before your appointment, but you may have sips of water up to two hours before.
-
For advice on blood thinning medication, diabetic medication or iron tablets, please refer to the information booklet sent with your appointment information.
You are encouraged to take your other medications but take them an hour before taking the bowel preparation. Be aware that, because of the diarrhoea, any medications you take may pass through your system more quickly than usual.
-
The purpose of the bowel preparation is to ensure that the entire lining of the bowel can be adequately examined so you are advised to follow the written instructions provided. Although it may seem like a long time without food, most people find that drinking the preparation plus extra clear fluids, means that they don’t feel hungry.
If you are diabetic you will be given extra information on how to manage your diabetes while not eating normally, please refer to your information booklet.
-
The bowel preparation can be mixed with light-coloured squash or clear apple juice. You could also try chilling it or drinking the liquid through a straw. Do not use red squash as this can stain the bowel.
-
Referral for endoscopy will either be direct from your GP. Alternatively your GP will refer you to see a Hospital consultant in clinic and they will refer you on for endoscopy. An inpatient endoscopy service is also available.
-
If you have no transport and are eligible for hospital transport please contact –
- If you live in the Suffolk area - 0333 240 4100
- If you live in the Norfolk area - 0345 603 8115
-
Accompanying friends and family are welcome to wait in reception until you are called through for your procedure . If they choose not to go home at this point they are welcome to wait in the main entrance cafeteria or walk in the grounds of the hospital. We do not allow relatives in recovery bays or procedure rooms except in exceptional circumstances. Relatives can be telephoned to collect the patient once they are ready. This is to protect the privacy and dignity for other patients in those areas.
-
On the day of the procedure we will offer you a copy of the endoscopy report on discharge. We will also give you an aftercare leaflet containing details of any further investigations that may be required or where and when results can be obtained for any samples taken.
Helicobacter tests (Clotest) results should be available from your GP within 2 working days.
Other samples – The referring doctor who will be either the hospital doctor or your GP will write to you or your GP with the results within 5 days of receipt.
Key staff
Consultant Gastroenterologists
Dr P Banim (Assistant Medical Director)
Dr A Afridi (Clinical Lead)
Dr R Badreldin
Dr B Brett
Dr A Saleem
Dr M Sayed
Dr E Yang
Consultant Surgeons
Mr R Lal
Mr K Aryal
Mr R Guruswamy
Mr V Velchuru
Mr S Jogelekar
Ms M Bogden
Mr M Aakif
Mr C Liao
Mr B Atkari
Clinical Endoscopists
Judith Dron
Ilona Troiceanu
Lisa Chalkley
Medical Endoscopists
Dr David Fearnley
Dr Josip Stosic
Respiratory Consultants
Dr P Babu
Dr V Mahadavan
Dr A Kisseljov
Endoscopy staff
Radu Segarceanu - Matron
Anne Jones - Senior Sister
Naomi Starling - Sister
Jo Brown - Divisional Operations Manager
Wayne Renham - Business Support Manager